A Moment Can Change Everything
by nonchalant confession
Summary: What if Gale had volunteered for Peeta in the 74th Hunger Games? How would things be different? Would Gale and Katniss both make it out of the arena alive? Katniss/Gale/Peeta
1. Before the Reaping

**This is my first attempt at writing FanFiction! Please let me know what you think of the story...it's nice to get feedback. :)**

**Author's Note: **When I was reading the first Hunger Games book, I was really intrigued with Katniss and Gale's relationship and how much they had to rely on each other while living in District 12. We didn't really get to see that much interaction between them in the first two books and it made me wonder about what would have happened if the two of them had gotten thrown into The Hunger Games together. How would their backstory affect the decisions they would make and who would be the victor of the Games?

disclaimer: I do not own any part of The Hunger Games or its characters. I just really enjoy reading and writing about them.

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Chapter 1

It was always like this the day before the reaping. The tension and apprehension of the students were so thick; you could cut them with a knife. There were no questions about why they were in the dilapidated auditorium; they already knew why they were here. Any student in this room was an eligible candidate for the 74th Hunger Games. It was standard procedures for them to be gathered up to discuss Reaping protocol, and to remind them to act with the highest decorum. All of Panem would be watching and the last thing District 12 wanted was negative attention to be broadcast around the nation. A Peacekeeper in a stark white uniform stood behind a podium reading the rules, going over tesserae and how to volunteer as a tribute.

Katniss Everdeen slouched in her seat, pulling at some red threads on the almost threadbare armrest. This was her 4th time hearing the mundane speech. There were really only two important things that mattered to her about the reaping: show up and don't have your name called. She started thinking about how many times her name was cast into the bowl this year: 20. The number was higher than she cared for it to be, but without the tesserae, she wouldn't be here at all. Still, her number could have been a lot worse.

She thought about her friend, Gale Hawthorne, who recently told her that his count was at 42. She looked around the auditorium, searching for his face. She looked to her left, but all she found was Peeta Mellark staring at her. Every now and then, her eyes would catch his gaze. She wondered what went on inside that head of his. She looked to the right and found Gale, about 10 rows behind her, sitting with the rest of his grade. Their eyes met and Gale impersonated being bored to death, his head leaning backwards with his mouth gaping open. This caused her to smile, and she even had to stifle a giggle. A teacher gave her a reprimanding look and she sat forward in her seat. Her mind drifted again, so much so, that she didn't even hear when they were dismissed.

Katniss remained in her seat, not realizing that it was over. Gale sat a row behind her, leaning on the seat next to her and broke the silence.

"So, you ready for the big day tomorrow?" he asked resting his chin on his crossed arms.

"Gale!" Katniss exhaled as she jumped. "I didn't see you there."

"Obviously. They dismissed us a few minutes ago."

"Just had a lot of things on my mind."

"Prim." he said. He knew how much Katniss worried about her. "Katniss, stop worrying. It's her first year…her name won't be called."

"You don't know that."

"Her name will be on one slip out of thousands. If there is anyone you should be worried about it's me…42, remember?" Gale said raising his eyebrows.

"Well lucky for you, this is the last year you have to worry about the reaping."

"Not lucky if they call my name. Come on, let's get out of here." he said taking her hand. She stood up with him and they exited the school.

The schoolyard was still bustling with students, trying to spend the last few moments with their friends before reaping day was upon them. Katniss saw Prim sitting with a group of friends on the grass. She decided to leave her there and walk home with Gale. As she walked past a group of the merchant kids, she noticed Peeta staring at her yet again. She always wanted to confront him about the staring but had always been embarrassed. Her mind always went back to that day of the rain and the bread. Today was definitely not the day. She had to get home to her mother, whom she knew would be torn up about both of her daughters being eligible for the reaping this year. Maybe tomorrow she would ask him.

Katniss and Gale started walking down the street toward the Seam. They didn't talk until they were outside of the town square.

"We're still hunting tomorrow, right?" Gale asked.

"Yes, but earlier…we can't be late for the reaping."

"Seven a.m. Well, this is my stop." Gale said as they reached his house. Katniss said 'bye' and continued to her house. When she entered her house, it appeared empty. When inside, she could hear her mother weeping from her room. Katniss hated when her mother was like this. It always made her feel so uncomfortable. Still, it was better than all those years ago when her mother shut herself off from the world after her father's death. To this day, she still hasn't seemed to be able to cope well with it. Prim walked into the house a moment later. Katniss started making dinner while Prim sat down at the table.

"Do I have to do my homework?" she pouted.

"Yes, Prim. It's important." Katniss replied, sounding more like her mother than her sister.

"It won't even matter if it's done if I get called at the reaping." She persisted.

Katniss stopped what she was doing and sat across from her at the table.

"They aren't going to call you Prim. It's your first year."

"It's happened before."

"Well it won't this year. " Katniss said standing up and returning to her duties.

That night at dinner, Katniss, Prim and her mother ate in silence. The reaping was the only thing on their minds and none of them wanted to talk about it. Katniss went straight to bed afterwards, so she wouldn't oversleep and miss her hunting expedition with Gale. From the next room over, she could hear Prim weeping and her mother trying to comfort her. Katniss looked out of her window from her bed and managed to find a star through the foliage of the forest.

"Please, let it be anyone but her." she wished as tears fell silently down her face.


	2. The Last Hunt

Chapter 2

The next morning Katniss woke up with the sun. She quickly put on her hunting clothes and made her way to the fence. There was no electricity running through the wires as usual and she quietly laughed at the irony of the warning sign attached to it. She quickly made her way to their meeting spot. She was glad to see Gale was already there. She really didn't feel like sitting around and letting her mind wander today.

"Ready?" Gale asked.

"Ready." Katniss replied drawing an arrow from her sheath. Together, they made their way into the forest, the one place that could distract them from the day's events that were about to follow. The forest was eerily quiet. 'Could the animals sense that is was reaping day?' Katniss wondered. After an hour, with no luck, they decided to take a break. Gale set some snares and met Katniss on the rock where she was enjoying some berries she picked from the bushes behind her.

"I was thinking last night…what if they called both our names?" Gale asked breaking the silence.

"What made you think of that?" Katniss questioned.

"I just thought that if I was going into the arena, it might be nice to know the person I was going in there with."

"That's a horrible idea, Gale. Only one person gets out of there alive." she said in a serious tone.

"I wouldn't kill you, Katniss." he said with a sly smile. This wasn't amusing to her.

"It's still a bad idea. Who would take care of our families if we were both in the Games? They wouldn't make it without us, Gale." Katniss said with a worried look in her eyes.

"I'm sorry I even brought it up." he apologized.

"If one of us is selected today, let's promise that we will take care of each other's families." He nods his head in agreement.

"Enough serious talk for now. Happy Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen!" he says throwing a berry skyward towards her. He put on his best Capitol accent and added, "And may the odds…"

"…be ever in your favor." Katniss finished after she had caught the berry in her mouth. After they checked the snares, they made the journey back to the Seam. Since they only caught a few rabbits and a squirrel, they decided to skip trading at the Hob. They split the game they caught and went their separate ways.

When Katniss arrived home, she washed up and then wrapped herself in a towel. She found her Mom in her room, laying out a dress and shoes on her bed. They were a grayish blue color that complemented Katniss's eyes. They belong to her mothers and she wore them when she was around Katniss's age.

"I can really wear them!" Katniss said with disbelief.

"Yes, you need to look nice today." her mother said quietly.

Katniss remembers this dress well. Once, when she was a little girl, she snuck in her parent's room and tried it on. She remembered how it hung on her small frame and swept the floor. Her mother found her and shouted at her to take it off. Feeling the soft fabric once again made her grin. She lifted it over her head and let it cascade down her body. She was amazed how well it fit her now. She slipped on her matching shoes, and then let her mother braid and pin up her damp hair. Prim came in her room and sat down next to her. She was wearing Katniss's old reaping outfit that she had outgrown. It was still quite large on her. Prim sat down next to her and Katniss took her hand. She could see Prim was nervous.

"I wonder what Effie Trinket will be wearing this year." Katniss said trying to make Prim feel better.

"Something bright." Prim said with a smile. Soon it was time to make their way to the town square. Prim held Katniss's hand, holding on for dear life.


	3. The Reaping

**Here it is...the Reaping scene! I decided to write this chapter mostly from Peeta's POV to switch it up. Hope you enjoy it!**

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Chapter 3

Peeta had been up since the crack of dawn helping his parents bake bread for what is always the busiest day of the year. Usually, after the reaping, families of District 12 would flood their bakery to buy a small loaf of bread to celebrate the fact that their children survived another reaping. After he washed the flour off his body, he put on a simple, white button down shirt and grey pants. He looked in the mirror with a weary expression on his face. He had a bad feeling about today. By the time he reached the square, it was almost full. He glanced up to the countdown clock and saw he had 4 minutes until the reaping began. He pushed through the crowd to get to the check in tables.

"Peeta Mellark." he said. He was handed four slips of paper on which he wrote his name in tiny, neat print. He joined his friends in the designated area for the 16 year olds.

"Didn't think you'd make it, Mellark." his friend said shaking his hand.

"Someone has to make the bread." Peeta said looking around the square. It didn't take him long to find Katniss Everdeen in the crowd. His eyes always seemed to find her easily. She looked different today, dressed up. He always thought she was beautiful, but today she looked all grown up.

He thought about all the times he wanted to talk to her but could never find the courage to do so. He found this strange, considering how easily it was for him to converse with people. But he guessed the rules were different when it involved a crush.

The countdown ran out and the anthem of Panem blasted from the speakers, letting the people of District 12 know that the festivities were about to begin. Once the anthem had finished, Mayor Undersee took to the podium to recite the history of Panem. It was the same speech every year, and Peeta muttered some of the words from memory under his breath.

Next, Haymitch Abernathy was introduced as the only remaining victor to be alive. He stood up to give a nod and wave to the audience, but he was too drunk to keep his balance. He leaned to the left and used Effie Trinket's shoulder as a crutch. Peeta couldn't help but smile when he saw the appalled look on Effie's face. Surely behavior like this was never exhibited at the Capitol. The mayor tried to brush off the incident and called Effie to the podium.

Effie Trinket carefully made her way to the podium in her platform stiletto heels. They were so high, it was a wonder how she could even take one step in them. But then again, Effie was a slave to fashion and if it's what was in style in the Capitol, then she must have had it. Her outfit did not seem to disappoint either. Even more eccentric than last year, she was wearing electric blue pencil skirt with a matching jacket (that flared out at the waist) that was embroidered with an intricate brocade. Affixed to her pale yellow wig was an alarmingly large, bright pink flower that sparkled on the tips of each petal. Her face had been powdered and she wore blue eye shadow, and had hot pink cheeks and lips.

She started off with her usual line "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!" The glass balls holding the names were placed on either sides of Effie. "Ladies first!" she said perkily as she reached in to the ball to her left. Citizens of District 12 held their breath as she reached in for a slip of paper. She slowly unfolded it.

"Your female tribute for the 74th Hunger Games is…Primrose Everdeen."

The crowd was silent, already mourning the fate of the little 12-year-old girl from the Seam. People shifted around trying to locate the girl but she could not be seen.

"Looks like someone is having a little stage fright. Would someone please escort her up to the stage?" Effie Trinket said lightheartedly. Slowly, Prim made her way to the center aisle, where a Peacekeeper was already waiting for her. Peeta looked over at Katniss, unable to imagine all the emotions she must be going through right now. It appeared that the boy beside her was actually holding her up. He saw her face ignite with combination of anger and fear. She moved to the center aisle and followed behind her sister, shouting her name over and over.

"What is she doing?" Peeta murmured. He watched as three Peacekeepers surrounded her, stopping her from advancing to the stage. She cleared her throat and shouted as loud as she could, "I volunteer as tribute!"

The crowd was silenced once more. This was something most of the citizens had never witnessed firsthand. It was nearly 60 years since the last tribute had been a volunteer. Most had seen it occur while watching the reapings in some of the other districts, where the Games were a chance for fame and eternal glory. In District 12, the Hunger Games was always a death sentence.

'_No, she can't…_' Peeta thought. He felt a gut-wrenching pain in his stomach when he thought of the fate of the girl he loved. He immediately regretted all the missed opportunities he had with her. He should have talked to her the day after he gave her the bread, but he couldn't find the words. Now he would never know her.

"Well isn't this exciting!" Effie replied clapping her hand together. "Bring the volunteer to the stage!" Katniss walked up the aisle passing Prim. As she passed her, Katniss looked at her sister one last time. Prim broke free from the Peacekeeper and chased after her sister, until her arms were around her waist.

"Katniss, no!" she screamed through sobs.

"Prim, let go!"

"Never." she whispered.

"Prim you have to let go! Go find Mom. You will see me after the Reaping is over." Prim released herself from her sister and she slowly walked towards the back of the crowd. Katniss watched her until she saw that Prim was safe with her mother. She then turned back to the stage and made her way up to the steps.

"Lovely!" Effie shrieked in delight. "And your name is?"

"Katniss Everdeen." she said sternly into the microphone.

"And how do you know the tribute?" Effie asked with a blank smile.

"She is my sister." Katniss said annoyed. Was Effie Trinket so shallow-minded that she couldn't connect the relationship of these two girls?

"Well…anyway, District 12 meet your first tribute for the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen!" Effie said trying to disperse the tension. The audience was silent. Peeta looked over and notice a man hold the three middle fingers of his left hand to his lips than raised them in the air in front of him. It was a farewell signal, which held great respect in District 12, usually reserved for funerals. Peeta watched as a sea of people followed the man's lead and eventually the whole square had their left arms extended in front of them. He carefully studied Katniss's face, searching for a reaction. Her eyes teared up and she lightly shook her head, as if she felt she didn't deserve this enormous gesture.

'_Surely she had to know the effect she had on people_.' Peeta thought.

"Time to move onto the boys. We do have a schedule to keep." Effie said breaking the moment. Katniss was ushered to a chair on the right side of the stage.

"District 12's male tribute is…" she said reaching into the bowl. She plucked out a piece of paper from the side of the bowl, and opened it. She squinted her eyes, and brought the paper close to her face. She had to walk over to Mayor Undersee to confirm the name. The audience stood with bated breath, but Peeta already knew that it was his name written on the slip of paper. He made sure to write it small so he would have enough time to compose himself before having his face plastered on the screens of the nation. Effie Trinket made her way back to the podium.

"Peeta Mellark." she said. Peeta nodded and made his way to center aisle. He confidently made his was to the front. Maybe he would actually get to know Katniss Everdeen, even if it meant the death of him. He stopped when he heard gasps coming from the people of District 12. He turned around and saw Gale Hawthorne marching up the aisle behind him.

"I volunteer." he said loud enough for Effie Trinket to hear. Nobody, not even Peeta, could have predicted what would have followed.

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**I had to end this chapter on a cliffhanger. What do you think will happen next? **

(Reviews are always appreciated)


	4. The Reaping Continues

**Here is the rest of the Reaping...enjoy!**

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Chapter 4

Katniss sat in shock, unable to believe what was happening. How could Gale do this? They had a deal. The only reason Katniss volunteered was to protect her sister. Peeta Mellark meant nothing to Gale. She wasn't even sure if they had ever spoken before. She watched as Peeta walked towards Gale, drew back his arm and punched him in the face. Gale didn't take it lightly and he drove his fist into Peeta's stomach. They collapsed to the ground, continuing to fight. Katniss was sure the citizens of the Capitol were glued to their TVs at this point. She could even see Effie's cheeks redden through her hot pink blush.

This was definitely a Hunger Games first. Not once had Katniss seen two people fight like this over going to the arena. She wondered why Peeta reacted this way. She had always known him to be more of a pacifist than a fighter. Six Peacekeepers ran towards Peeta and Gale and pried them off of each other.

"Wow, two volunteers in one Reaping…how exciting!" Effie said as her voice fluttered. Peeta and Gale were both brought up to the stage. Gale was taken to the podium while the Peacemakers restrained Peeta at the left of the stage.

"And your name is…"

"Gale Hawthorne." he said firmly into the microphone. Effie called Katniss to the podium and Gale and her shook hands. She gave him a look of contempt, letting him know she did not approve of his decision. Next, the tributes were taken into the Justice Building and placed in separate rooms. The Peacekeepers had brought in Peeta inside the building and Katniss wondered about his fate. Her thoughts are interrupted when she saw Prim and her mother burst through the door. Prim ran to Katniss and hugged her tightly as Prim sat on her lap.

"This wasn't supposed to happen. Gale was suppose to care of you…I'm sorry." she said with tears welling up in my eyes.

"We will be ok, don't worry, Katniss."

"Prim will have to take the tesserae this year. With hers and mine combined, it should be enough…" Katniss trailed off. She thought about what would happen when the year was up. They wouldn't be able to collect her tesserae, since she would no longer be alive to claim it, and they would both eventually die of starvation as so many people do in District 12.

"Katniss, you have to win, you have to come back." Prim said.

"I'll try." Katniss said as she felt her body start to shake. She knew the odds were not in her favor. The Careers from Districts 1, 2, and 4 would be far more prepared for the arena than she would be. They trained their whole life for this. The only training Katniss had was hunting in the woods, which would not be enough compared to them. She continued to give Prim and her mother instructions about what to do while she was in the arena. She chose her words carefully, to keep her family calm and to give them hope that she would return victorious. The door opened and Madge, the mayor's daughter walked in. Madge had been the only person, besides Gale, that Katniss had considered a friend and she's using the term loosely. They would sit together sometimes during lunch or assemblies, and they would pair up in class if they ever had to choose partners.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your time with your family, I just wanted to give you this." she said holding out a pin. It was solid gold and had a Mockingjay with a circle enclosing it. "For good luck…"

Katniss knew there was no way to decline the gift, that Madge would somehow convince her to take it. She took it in her hand and said 'thank you'. Madge gave her a hug and wished her good luck. Katniss was surprised that she had made such an impression on Madge…that she would give her such an expensive gift.

"We will be rooting for you." Madge said before leaving. The door opened yet again and a Peacekeeper said there was someone else that wanted to see Katniss before she left.

"Bring them in." she said.

"He wants to talk with you privately." the Peacekeeper responded. Katniss figured there was only about 10 minutes left until she had to leave for the train station so now was as good a time as any to say goodbye to her family. She stayed strong and held back the tears from forming in her eyes. She waited a minute, staring outside the window into the square. Most of the crowd had dispersed but there were some clusters of people talking. She wondered who wanted to see her so badly and why he wanted it to be just them. Her body swung around when she heard the door click open. Peeta was slowly walking towards her. How did he let the Peacekeepers agree to this? After all, he did cause an altercation during the Reaping.

"Hello, Katniss." he said as stood beside her. She froze. No words came to her lips. What was he doing here? What could he possibly have to say to her? She finally found something to say. "How did you get permission to see me?"

"I can be very convincing."

"But why are you here? We aren't friends." She could tell her choice of words stung him a bit. "I mean we don't know each other. I don't think we've even had a conversation in our whole lives."

"That's why I am here now."

"To get to know me better before I die in the arena?" she spouted sarcastically.

"I wanted to talk to you. Ever since that day."

"What day?" she asked trying to be aloof, hoping he wouldn't remember it was she that he threw the bread to in the rain.

"You know what day I am talking about Katniss." he said taking her hand. Why was this happening now? Why did Peeta Mellark have to choose the worst time to talk to her?

"No I don't." she said pulling her hand away, still denying it. She rested her hands on the windowsill and looked out the window.

"The day I threw you the bread. I got a black eye for doing that you know." he said.

"So now I owe you?" she said defensively, turning to face him. She did know that she owed him. He saved her life that day, and she always felt indebted to him.

"That's not what I meant. I've always liked you, you know?" he said quietly looking down at the ground.

"You have to know someone before you like them."

"You can learn a lot about someone just by watching them."

"You do seem to stare at me an awful lot." she said calmly.

"We don't have much time, Katniss. The reason I came here was to tell you that I want you to come back, so we can get to know each other properly."

"Peeta, you know I am not coming back. That is why you came here today…to say goodbye. I don't stand a chance against the Careers."

"Gale does, though." he replied. She found it interesting that he would bring up Gale, someone else he doesn't know very well. "That's why he volunteered…to protect you."

"Yeah well, he was suppose stay here and protect my family. He promised he would." she said with the tears in her eyes.

"Maybe I could take care of them for you. Bring them some bread once a week." he said sincerely.

"You would do that? But your mother…"

"I'm smarter now, Katniss. I'll make sure to be discreet about it."

She couldn't believe this was happening right now. Never in her life did she consider Peeta as someone that could help her. After all, he was the son of merchants, and people from the Merchant class and the Seam tended to stay within their social caste.

"I just wish I had something to give you." She looked down at the Mockingjay pin, still clutched in her left hand. "Here take this."

"The pin Madge gave you. I can't take that. It's for good luck." he said. She gave him a quizzical look. He cleared up her confusion. "She told me she was giving it to you while I was waiting in the hall. There is something you give me, though. You can promise me that you will try your hardest to come back here alive."

Katniss nodded her head. "Okay." Peeta and Katniss's eyes turned towards the door as the heard doorknob turn. They knew their time was up. Peeta wrapped his arms around Katniss's shoulders and pulled her closer to him in an embrace. Her arms instinctively wrapped around his abdomen.

"Good luck, Katniss." he whispered in her ear. He managed to kiss her forehead before the Peacekeepers ripped them apart. Their eyes stayed on each other until Katniss was no longer in the room. She wished she had a few more minutes with him; his embrace calmed her, almost making her forget about what lies ahead.


	5. The Journey Begins

Chapter 5

The journey to train station was a blur. The only thing Katniss distinctly remembers was attaching the Mockingjay pin to her dress. She knew Madge would be watching the coverage and she want her to see that she was grateful to have a little piece of District 12 with her. She avoided any contact with Gale at the train station, because she was still angry with him. She just looked out to the audience on the train platform and gave the best smile she could during the Mayor's final speech. It wasn't a real smile, but she knew her loved ones would be watching and she wanted for them to remain hopeful.

As soon as she was on the train, she changed into the clothes laid out for her on the bed. She transferred the Mockingjay pin from her dress to her shirt. She also noticed an itinerary on her bedside table. Surely, Effie Trinket left this for her; she was a stickler for being punctual. Katniss wasn't sure if everyone in the Capitol values the importance of keeping a tight schedule, or if that's just Effie. According to the sheet of paper, dinner in the dining car was in a half hour. The last thing Katniss cared about right now was food. And she wasn't ready to see Gale, either. She laid down on the bed replaying the day's events. It's amazing how much your life can change in a day. She listed off the unexpected things in her head. She never thought she'd be on a train to the Capitol, that she could ever be this angry with Gale, or that she would be friends with Peeta Mellark. Was friend the right word? Maybe 'allies' was a better word.

Katniss looked at the clock and saw that she was 10 minutes late for dinner. She didn't care though. She wondered what Effie was thinking right now. Was she annoyed or did she expect this to happen? Did Gale show up on time? Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. She opened it to find a steward at the door.

"Miss Trinket requests your presence in the dining car at once." he said. Katniss figured there was no sense fighting him so she put on a pair of shoes and followed the man to the dining cart.

"So nice of you to adorn us with your presence, sweetheart." a drunk Haymitch Abernathy said, bowing his head as if she were royalty.

"You are late…did you not see your itinerary?" Effie asked.

"No I saw it." Katniss said, knowing this would annoy her. Unfortunately, the only seat available at the table was next to Gale. She glanced over at him long enough to see the black eye Peeta had given him during the Reaping. A shiny film of medicine covered the black and purple patches. She sat down, waiting for Effie to give them instructions.

Dinner is served in four courses as Effie Trinket lists away everything the tributes need to know. Katniss is not even sure Effie even eats anything because she is so busy talking. She doesn't really hear what Effie is saying, though. She is too focused on the food on her plate, eating it as quickly she can before they take it away and replace it with another full plate. Katniss hear her mention something about manners but she doesn't care. She is not trying to impress Effie Trinket. When the meal is over, the group sits on some oversized couches in front of the television to watch the replay of the reapings.

"Katniss…"Gale began.

"Shh, it's starting!" she said. She still wasn't ready to talk to him yet. She concentrated hard on the images on the TV. The tributes from the Career districts looked fiercer than ever. 'There is no way I can outlast them.' Katniss thought. Most tributes were shown and then Katniss saw the face of a 12-year-old girl from District 11 on the screen. She looked so small and scared. How was she going to even stand a chance in the arena? Katniss knew the answer…she wouldn't. Next was District 12. It was amazing how different the scene looked from the television than it did in person. She thought she composed herself rather well, considering the circumstances. Hopefully the other tributes won't think of her as an easy target. She watched the screen intently as they showed a close shot of Peeta walking towards the stage, then cut to Gale as he volunteered. Katniss couldn't help but grin when she saw Peeta punch Gale in the face.

"At least someone finds it amusing." Gale says hurt as he leaves the room. Had he been watching her the whole time? A frown appeared on her face as the fight progressed. She had been so far away from them at the Reaping that she couldn't see clearly what was happening. Now she was getting an up-close view of the fight. They both looked so angry at each other. It was hard to watch so Katniss looked away. How long would they have kept fighting if the Peacekeepers hadn't intervened?

When the broadcast was over, she walked back to her compartment. She stopped briefly at Gale's door, wanting to apologize, but the room was silent. She closed the door to her compartment, not bothering to lock it. She picked up her Reaping dress off her dresser, turned on a dim light in bathroom, and crawled under the covers. She lifted the fabric of the dress up to her nose. It smelt like the Seam, like home. She missed it already. All she wanted was to be back there right now. For the second night in a row, Katniss cried herself to sleep.


	6. Apologies

**A short (but necessary) chapter. I will post Chapter 7 tomorrow. Enjoy!**

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or any of its characters.

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Chapter 6

Gale stood outside the last train car, trying to cool off after he stormed out of the television car. How could Katniss react like that after she saw him get punched in the face? He expected her to be mad for volunteering; after all, he broke his end of the bargain. Gale didn't expect her to actually enjoy the sight of him getting punched by Peeta Mellark.

When he could no longer take the cold air rushing through him, he went back inside and walked to Katniss's compartment. He knocked on the door a few times and said her name. She didn't answer. He turned the handle of the door and found it was unlocked. He went inside the dimly lit room and could see her outline on the bed. He laid down next to her, noticing her clutching her reaping dress to her chest. He could tell that despite her hardened exterior, she was not coping well. Gale didn't want to wake her, but he had to talk to her. They had been mad at each other before, but it had never gone on for this long.

"Katniss, wake up." he whispered. He repeated her name once again, this time rubbing her shoulder. The gentle motion slowly woke her up.

"Gale, how did you get in here?" she asked, still groggy.

"You left the door unlocked. Katniss, I am sorry about what happened today…it just happened so fast. Please forgive me." he begged.

Despite the lack of light in the room, Katniss could still make out his expression. She saw the agony on his face. Their silence between them must have been eating at him all day.

"I forgive you." she said. There was a pause. "Why did you do it?"

"Someone has to protect you."

"It's not like I was going into the arena by myself."

"You would have been with Peeta Mellark, though."

"Yeah, so?" she asked.

"He can't protect you like I can." he said brushing away the hair that fallen onto her face.

"Why not?" she asked curious about his reasoning.

"He doesn't have skills. He's a merchant kid…he's lived a pretty comfortable life."

'None of that is true.' Katniss thought. She didn't say this out loud, because she didn't want it to look like she was taking sides. Peeta was a merchant kid but his life wasn't easy.

When Katniss was younger and her father was still alive, they would walk through the town before the streets were crowded with people. Even at a young age, Peeta was expected to wake up early in the morning to help bake the bread. One time, when she was walking by the bakery, she heard shouting. She stood on her tiptoes over the cakes in the window, and she could see Peeta's mother beating him with a rolling pin for dropping a tray of rising dough. Being the youngest, Peeta always seemed to get the worst of his mother's abuse. Katniss also recalled how horrible his eye looked after she hit him for burning the bread five years ago. It was black and purple and had swollen shut.

"He works in a bakery." Katniss said.

"Unfortunately, baking bread isn't a survival skill in the arena." Gale responded.

"But he is strong. He has to carry those big bags of flour and lift the heavy trays out of oven."

"He can also throw a pretty good punch too." he added.

"How is your eye?" Katniss asked.

"It hurts but it's getting better. Effie gave me some medicine from the Capitol…said it should be cleared up by the opening ceremonies."

"Gale, I'm nervous about the interviews…you know how bad I am at public speaking."

"That's what Haymitch is for. I'm sure he will whip you right into shape." Gale said sarcastically.

"I'm serious Gale. What if no one likes me? No one will sponsor us."

"How could they not like you?" Gale asked soothingly.

"Plenty of people don't."

"Don't worry, Cesar will make you shine. He always brings out the best in the people he interviews."


	7. The Capitol

**Here is Chapter 7! I really enjoyed writing this chapter (which is probably why it's so long!) Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far!**

****Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or any of its characters.

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Chapter 7

Katniss woke up the next morning when she heard a knock on the door and a reminder that breakfast was in 15 minutes. She was surprised to see Gale still in bed next to her. She must have fallen asleep mid-conversation with him. The last thing she could remember talking about was the interviews.

As she looked over at him, she realized that in all the years she had known Gale, she had never seen him while he was sleeping. Even though he wasn't conscious, she could see the worry etched in his face. She wasn't sure if that was how he always looked while he slumbered or if it was because of the stress of the Games. It was probably the latter. She leaned closer to him to wake him up.

"Gale, time to wake up." she said in a singsong voice. He didn't budge. She shook his shoulder and repeated his name. When she saw the corner of his mouth twitch, she knew he was pretending to be asleep. Then, she had an idea. She started tickling the area between his shoulder and his neck. He kept up the façade for a few seconds, but she could see the smile he was trying to hold back appear and then he raised his shoulder toward his ears.

"Gotcha." Katniss said and then Gale opened his eyes.

"Yeah, you won. Let's hope I don't have to play dead in the arena. Obviously, I wouldn't last very long." he said sitting up. He watched as the happiness drained from her face. He had ruined the moment. "I'm sorry Katniss…I didn't mean it like that. It was a joke."

"Well it wasn't a very funny one." she said as she got out of bed. He followed after her.

"Wait. Listen, Katniss, we know what is going to happen to me. I am going…"

"…don't finish that." Katniss interjected. "We better get to breakfast. We wouldn't want to upset Effie." Katniss grabbed the robe off the hook in the bathroom and wrapped it around her. Gale didn't even bother to change. They both marched into the dining car where Effie and Haymitch were waiting for them. As they sat down, they saw Haymitch pour the clear liquor from his flask into his glass of orange juice.

"Breakfast of champions." he slurred while raising his glass in the air. He then proceeded to chug the entire glass. If he was not drunk yet, he soon would be. Breakfast was served while Effie went over the itinerary for the day. They would arrive at the Capitol around noon, go to the remake center, meet with their stylists and prepare for the opening ceremonies, which occurred after dark. It seemed like a lot to do in one day. Would she have any time to relax? Then she realized that relaxation was a luxury that she would never experience again.

When the contents of Haymitch's flask were consumed, he stumbled over to the little bar area in the corner of the dining car. He grabbed a bottle of liquor, refilled his flask and put it in his jacket pocket. He then carried a glass filled with ice and the bottle around to the front of the bar and sat on a stool as he poured himself another drink. This caused Katniss to lose it.

She always thought a mentor was a person that would help you do anything to succeed. Clearly, Haymitch didn't meet her definition. How was he supposed to get them sponsors? In a rage, Katniss walked over to the bar and waited for him to acknowledge her. Instead, Haymitch sipped away at the substance of his glass. After about a minute, Katniss grabbed a heavy glass at the edge of the bar and threw it at him…well not _at_ him, exactly. She was really just trying to get his attention. It shattered on the wall behind him and she finally got his attention. She could hear Effie Trinket shout, "That is crystal!" in the background but didn't care. Instead, she started her rant.

"What the hell is wrong with you! You are supposed to be here to help us win this! You are pathetic! How did you even win the Games? Did you just hide away until all the other tributes were killed off—" Her outburst was cut off when Haymitch sprung off his seat and slammed her into the wall behind her. He knocked the wind out of her and had his arm pressed to her throat.

"You have no idea what I've seen in there, sweetheart." he spewed with his face a mere inch or two from hers. She had undermined how strong Haymitch Abernathy could be, even in his drunken state. He could probably kill her right now if he wanted to. She suddenly felt his grip on her loosen and saw Gale holding Haymitch against the edge of the bar.

"You lay a finger on her again, I swear I will kill you." Gale said full of vigor. With the look he had in his eyes, Katniss believed him.

"It's a good thing your boyfriend volunteered. It's the only way you will get out of the arena alive." Haymitch said to Katniss.

"He is not my boyfriend!" she said advancing toward him. Gale placed his hands on her shoulders to stop her from approaching Haymitch.

"Katniss, calm down. He's not worth it." Gale said in a gentle soothing voice. For a moment, she felt a little more at ease…until Haymitch opened his mouth.

"Yeah, sure he's not your boyfriend. I totally believe you." he said taunting her. The rage returned to her eyes, and Gale had to hold her back.

"You are the worst!"

"If I were you, I'd be a little nicer to me. After all, I am the one that can control whether or not you get any help in the arena."

Katniss tried to break away from Gale; he swooped her up and carried her out of the dining cart. She could hear Haymitch's loud, inebriated laughter as they exited the room. Gale didn't stop walking until he reached her room.

"Gale, let go of me!" she said hitting his chest.

"Katniss, you need to calm down. You know he is just messing with us." he said sitting down with her in his lap.

"Everything just seems so hopeless." Katniss said as tears fell down her cheeks. She finally let out everything that was bottled up inside of her. "I don't want to die, but I also don't want you to die, either." She thought about how wrong it was that anyone should have to think this way. How could a government force teenagers to kill each other for sport? It seemed more like fiction than reality, but it was her reality.

"I think I'd be ok with dying if it meant that you would win. Prim needs you."

"Your family needs you too."

"I know that you would take care of them." he said. It was true. If she could manage to become a victor of the Hunger Games, she would have more money than she could know what to do with. Gale's family was like a second family to her, so of course she would make sure they taken care of.

"But you wouldn't be there." she said, her eyes glazed over. She rested her head on his shoulder because she could no longer look him in the eyes.

"No, I couldn't be there, Catnip." he said resting his chin on the top of her head. She closed her eyes and could feel herself drifting off. When she woke up, she was still in Gale's arms.

"How long have I been out?" she asked.

"Twenty minutes. We should probably get ready. We are about an hour away from the Capitol."

After Gale left her room, Katniss took a shower, changed into a dress she found in the drawers, and put on her Mockingjay pin. She left her hair in her braid from the day before because she liked it and also because she couldn't replicate it herself. She wondered what the stylists were going to do with her when she got to the remake center. From watching the opening ceremonies from years past, Katniss noticed that sometimes a tribute was almost unrecognizable after they were done with their makeovers. She hoped her team would be better than Haymitch and Effie had been so far. When the windows grew dark from the tunnel, she decided it was time to join the rest of her team. On the other side of the mountain laid the Capitol. Effie was on one side of the room, looking into her compact mirror, powdering her nose. On the other side, Haymitch and Gale were sitting in silence. She approached both of them and took a seat across from them.

"We need to talk." she said to both of them. She turned her attention to Haymitch. "This is really starting now, and we need a mentor to be there for us. The more advice and instructions we have, the better we will do in the arena. Haymitch we need your help." she pleaded. She hoped that even in his drunken state, he wouldn't laugh in her face.

"You're really serious about this aren't you?" Haymitch said with shock. "Most tributes from District 12 had given up by now. I guess it is nice to have some with a fighting edge."

"Maybe if you stopped drinking until the games are over, you could really help us. It would only be about two weeks." Katniss said calmly.

"Yeah, sweetheart, that's not going to happen. You want my help; you let me drink whatever I want." Katniss and Gale figured the only way to get Haymitch on their side was to agree to this, hoping that his drinking wouldn't screw them over.

"Oh and another thing…you do whatever I tell you to do." he added. Gale and Katniss exchanged looks, unsure about whether or not to agree to this. What choice did they have though? Without his help, there won't be any sponsors in the arena, and they won't get the supplies they need to survive.

"We'll do it." Katniss said. Gale agreed.  
"Ok, then. First words of wisdom are to let the prep team and the stylist do whatever they want with you?"

"But what if—" Katniss started.

"Full control. They know what they are doing. They have this job for a reason. Also, try not to look so miserable when we arrive at the Capitol. The citizens aren't going to support someone they find undesirable. You have to win over their hearts."

Katniss worried about this part. She wasn't the type of person that people gravitated to instantly. She was more of an acquired taste. Gale would have no problem gaining a fan base in the Capitol. Back in District 12, he could have his pick of any girl he wanted. They were obsessed with him, going out of their way to talk to him. This annoyed Katniss when she would hang out with him, and girl after girl would approach him just to say hi. They usually just ignored her, not deeming her as a threat at all. Katniss wondered if he ever did anything with those girls when she was not around. It was something they never talked about.

"Katniss we're here." Gale said breaking her out of her thoughts. They walked to the exit of the train. "You ready?"

"It's not like a really have a choice." she said with a smirk. He took her hand.

"Remember, don't forget to smile." he said. Shortly after, the doors opened and the photographers were in their face, trying to get the first shot of the District 12 tributes. Katniss put on her best smile as she tried to win the heart of the Capitol citizens. They lined the path to the remake center. The people of the Capitol were all dressed to the nines in bright clothes, and oversized accessories. When they were inside the building, Katniss breathed a sigh of relief.

"We survived…" Katniss said.

"For now." Haymitch said with a gruff laugh. Katniss said goodbye to Gale before she was taken to the remake room. She dreaded what was to follow. A team of 3, two women and a man, were waiting for her with all the tools of the trade when she entered the room. They were clearly from the Capitol, judging from their appearance. Luckily, it was against the rules to permanently alter the tributes while they were in the Games. What was the worst they could do?

"Well it looks like we got someone with potential this year." the short, plump one said.

"I don't know about that…we will just have to see if we are that good." the man responded. They talked as if she couldn't hear them. She kept her mouth shut so she would stay on their good side.

"Well, I'd say it's time we get to work!" the second woman added. First, they scrubbed her clean. Then, they waxed all of Katniss's limbs. It hurt terribly, but she didn't say a word. She decided it was best to take Haymitch's advice. After that, they plucked her eyebrows and trimmed her hair.

"Ugh, look at these split ends! Don't you ever trim your hair?" the man, who was named Flavius, said. Haircuts were a rarity in the Seam. There was only one salon in all of District 12 and you usually found only the merchant class there. She dreaded how much he was going to cut off. Hopefully, it would still be long enough to braid. She was relieved when she saw that he only took about 2 inches off the length.

She wondered what they were doing to Gale. He was probably done by now. Next, the 3 of them were evaluating which "season" she was when thinking of a makeup palette for her.

"She's a fall!" the shorter lady, Octavia, said.

"No, definitely a winter!" Venia snapped.

"Actually, I'm a spring…I was born in May."

"Aww that is so cute. She has no idea what we are talking about." Flavius said, feeling sorry for her. Katniss looked more confused than ever. "Oh honey, it has nothing to about when you're born. It's about what colors will look best on you. Cinna will know for sure what season you are."

She concluded that Cinna was the name of her stylist. She wondered if Cinna was a man or woman's name. Everyone in the Capitol had names she had never heard before. A few minutes later, a man walked into the room. He actually looked normal compared to everyone else in the Capitol. He didn't have his appearance altered in any way and wore a plain black shirt and pants.

"Flavius, I told you to leave the braid alone." he said with a sigh.

"But her hair was so dirty!" Flavius interjected.

"I guess I'll have to use the footage to examine it." Cinna said displeased. He changed his tone to a more pleasant one when talking to Katniss. "I am Cinna, by the way."

"Katniss." she said shaking his outreached hand. "I haven't seen you before."

"That is because I am new."  
"Sorry you are stuck with District 12." Katniss said sympathetically. The new people always got stuck with District 12. It was an unwanted district with boring opening ceremony costumes, and tributes that weren't prepared for the arena.

"Oh, I wasn't assigned District 12; I requested it." he said matter-of-factly.  
"You must be pretty optimistic, then."

"No, I'm just that good." he said smiling as he gave her a wink. Maybe he wouldn't be that bad. He seemed normal enough. Katniss hoped he wasn't all talk and that he could actually transform her into a spectacle that would capture the attention of the citizen of Panem. Opening ceremonies were required viewing and it was a great way to gain sponsors. The interviews were important too, but the opening ceremonies were that initial spark.

Once Cinna had looked over the work the prep team had done, Katniss and him went into an adjoining room where lunch was waiting for them.

"So, are you from the Capitol?" Katniss asked him. She was very eager to know more about him.

"Born and raised." he said before taking a sip of his drink.

For some reason, Katniss expected a different answer, an intricate story about how he grew up in one of the other districts and somehow made it into the Stylist School at the Capitol, and got his dream job of helping style the tributes.

"It looks like you don't believe me." he said with a laugh.

"I guess I was just expecting a different answer. You don't really have that Capitol look."

"It's a little to garish for me. I prefer a more classical sense of style. A less is more approach."

"Were you always like that?"

"Well, when I was younger, my parents dressed me according to Capitol couture but when I was old enough to develop my own opinion about fashion, I realized that you could still look good in simple pieces of clothing."

"I always thought that everyone in the Capitol wore the same styles of clothing."

"Most do but there are some fashion rebels here." he said.

"How did you get through Stylist School?"

"Some of the instructors had the same views on fashion as me and other applauded my ability to think outside the box."

"How did you manage to become a stylist for the Games? All the other stylists seem to have that _Capitol look_."

"I had a very strong portfolio and amazing references."

"Well I can't wait to see what you've done to the coal miner costumes this year."

"You're not coal miners this year." he said coolly.

"But that's our main industry. What kind of costumes did you make?"

"You will just have to wait until tonight." he said with a smirk.

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**What do you think of the story so far? Feedback and comments are always appreciated! :)**


	8. The Opening Ceremonies

**Here is chapter 8. I plan on writing/uploading a lot of chapters this week since I don't have class this week. Don't forget to review! :)**

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of its characters.

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Chapter 8

After lunch, Katniss settled into a temporary room in the remake center. She laid down on the bed and her mind wandered. She started thinking about the costume she would have to wear tonight. District 12 tributes were always coalminers. Coal was their major output. It is what they contributed to the nation of Panem. Was Cinna thinking about rebelling against the Capitol, just like he did in Stylist School? If he did, they surely wouldn't get any sponsors. She closed her eyes and opted to not worry about it. She decided to get some rest before she would have to face all of Panem.

Katniss woke to a knock on the door. Effie Trinket popped her head in the door to let her know that dinner was in 10 minutes. Katniss went into the bathroom and contemplated whether or not she should wash the makeup off her face. She did not want to offend her team and it actually didn't look that bad. Cinna had made sure the prep team kept it natural looking. She just had to use a tissue to rub away some of the eyeliner below her eyes. She went to the dining room at the end of the hall. Everyone was already sitting down: Gale, Haymitch, Effie, Cinna, Portia, and both sets of prep teams. Gale's stylist and prep team introduced themselves to Katniss and hers did the same to Gale. The food was brought and groups of people started their own conversations.

"I thought I wasn't going to be able to recognize you." Gale joked while leaning closer to her.

"I actually got a normal stylist. How long were you in the remake center?"

"About 20 minutes. It wasn't so bad." he said. Katniss shot him a look, which made him ask "What?"

"If you only knew what I had to go through."

"What did they do you?" he asked curious.

"First they scrubbed about 2 layers of skin off of me, then they waxed all the hair off my body, cut my hair and tested different makeup looks on me. I was there for 3 hours."

"Oh sorry. Well at least you look pretty." he said trying to make her feel better.

"Thanks."

After dinner, Katniss, Gale, and their teams parted ways to get them ready in separate rooms. Flavius braided her hair and then Venia and Octavia applied her makeup. Cinna told them to keep her makeup simple so that the people in Panem would be able to recognize her in the arena. They highlighted her cheekbones with a pale, golden pink blush. Her eyes were swept with an irredescent gold eyeshadow and a thin line of black eyeliner across the lash line. They curled her lashes and applied mascara. Last, they glossed her lips. Cinna approved her make up before dressing her. He helped her pull up the fitted black jumpsuit up her body.

"I still don't understand what we are suppose to be, Cinna." she said as he attached the cape to her shoulders.

"Think about it. What is District 12's chief export?"

"Coal."

"And what do you do to coal?" he asked. Her eyes grew wide as she thought of the answer…you burn it.

"Cinna, you're not!" she said afraid.

"Don't worry, it's not real fire, Katniss."

"What if something goes wrong?"  
"We have tested it out. It's perfectly safe." he said putting her headdress on her. "There is nothing to worry about."

Of course he would say that. He wasn't about to have a cape of fire floating behind him for 20 minutes. When she was dressed, Cinna walked her to where the chariots were awaiting for line up. She saw Gale waiting by their chariot in an identical outfit, minus the headdress. Cinna and Portia helped them onto the chariot and adjusted their capes.

"Did Portia tell you the plan?" Katniss asked Gale.

"Yes."

"Are you nervous?" she asked.

"It will be ok, Catnip." he said taking her hand. "I'm right here if anything goes wrong." Cinna had turned his attention back to the two of them.

"We are almost ready to move." he said. He noticed the two of them with their hands intertwined. "I like that, make sure you stay like that during the ride." The chariots made their way out of the remake center one by one. Soon it was time to ignite the costumes.

"Here we go." Cinna said as he held the torch to the ends of their capes. Katniss shut her eyes, waiting to feel the fire touch her skin. It didn't happen, though. She could feel warmth behind her yet her skin remained untouched.

"It worked." she said, exhaling.

"I told you I was good." Cinna said standing beside her. "Remember, smile and make them fall in love with you."

The chariot started moving, revealing them to the crowd. She heard people shout, "They're on fire!" but a look of relief, then excitement appeared on the faces of the crowd when they realized the fire was intentional. People chanted "District 12" and "Katniss" and "Gale". The two of them egged on the crowd by waving and blowing kisses to citizens of the Capitol. Haymitch was right; the stylist know what they are doing. Their costumes alone were winning over the hearts of the Capitol.

The chariots stopped when they reached President Snow's mansion at the center of the city. He stood at a podium from the top of the steps and gave a speech.

"Hey Katniss, look at the screen." Gale whispered into her ear. She looked to the right and could finally see what the crowd had seen. The fire trailed behind them, dancing in the air. The flames created a soft glow around their faces, enhancing their features. They looked beautiful.

When President Snow was finished with his speech, the chariots rode to the Training Center where the tributes would live and train until they were transported to the Hunger Games. Their stylist and prep teams were waiting for them at the entrance.

"You looked amazing!" Portia said and she helped Cinna extinguish the fire from their capes. Gale jumped down from the chariot carriage and then helped Katniss down. Cinna came up next to her.

"Told you I'd leave you in one piece." he said with a smile.

"I shouldn't have doubted you…that was amazing! I'm sorry."

Cinna nodded, accepting her apology.

Effie Trinket appeared and took them up to the 12th floor of the Training Center, where they would be staying. She explained that each District had its own floor with a corresponding number. Katniss was happy she wouldn't run into tributes from other districts, especially after she saw the looks they gave her after the ceremony was over. Effie gave them a short tour of the floor and then led them to their rooms. Katniss could not believe the size of her room. It was larger than most houses in the Seam. How could anyone need this much space just for sleeping? She hopped in the shower to relax before she went to bed and also to wash the makeup off her face. She put on a nightgown she found in the dresser and then crawled into bed. About 20 minutes went by, but Katniss could not sleep. The room was too big; it wasn't cozy like her room at home. She got out of bed, put on a pair of slippers and walked to Gale's room. She hoped he would still be up as she knocked on his door.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked as his towel dried his hair.

"Is it alright if I stay with you tonight?"

"Of course." he replied.

"Thanks. I can't sleep in that big room all by myself…it is kind of scary." she admitted.

"Here, come in." he said stepping to the side. She entered his room, which looked similar to hers. She walked straight to his bed and climbed under the covers.

"Tired?" he asked as he switched off the lights and joined her.

"Exhausted. It was long day."

"Let's get some sleep. I'm sure tomorrow will be just as long." he said.

"Goodnight Gale. Thanks again." she said softly.

"Anytime. 'Night." he said. Their talking ceased as they both drift off to sleep.  
That night was the night when the nightmares began for Katniss. She dreamt that Gale and her were in the arena. They had found a clearing in the woods. Gale made her stay her stay at the wood's edge while he went out in the meadow to make sure it was safe. When he was about 80 feet away from her, that's when it happened. His foot activated the land mine and Katniss watched him get blown to pieces, just like their fathers did in the mines in District 12. Katniss awoke and bolted up from the bed. She felt Gale put his arms around her.

"It's ok, Katniss. It wasn't real." he said stroking her back. She could feel herself hyperventilating. Gale told her to take some deep breaths but she couldn't control her rate of breathing.

"I can't breathe!" she said desperately. Gale tried to help her, telling her when to breathe in and when to breathe out. This helped and soon she had calmed down. She knew that Gale would most likely die in the arena, but until now, she had never thought that she might actually witness his death.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

"We were in the Games and you stepped on a landmine." she said.

"I doubt they would put those in the Games, Katniss. That would be too easy. The Capitol would rather watch hand-to-hand combat…it's more exciting than watching someone blow up. Let's try to get some rest now. Tomorrow is going to be a long day." he reminded her.

The next time Katniss woke up, it was morning. She was surprised she made it through the night without another nightmare. Gale was still asleep, with the same worried face that she had seen the night before. Tonight she would sleep in her room. It wasn't fair for her to interrupt his sleep or to make him worry about her. He needed his rest for the arena. When she was done thinking, she noticed his arm around her waist. She wondered if she had been tossing and turning last night. This must have been the only way he could stop her from bumping into him. She thought about how jealous the girls in District 12 would be if they knew that she was not only sharing a bed with Gale Hawthorne, but he also had his arm around her. Next, she thought about what their futures would be like if they both weren't a part of the Games. She knew it was pointless to even think about this, knowing that one or both of them would never leave the arena, but it comforted her. She then saw that he was waking up.

"Hey, Catnip." he said in a husky voice.

"Good morning." she responded back.

"Did you have any more nightmares last night?" Gale asked. She shook her head. "What were you thinking about?"

"The future…well not really the future. I was thinking about what our lives could be like in the future if we weren't here."

"Really? And what would I be doing with my life?" he asked, curious.

"You would be working in the coal mines." she started. "And you would be married to the prettiest girl in District 12—"

"Does this girl have a name?" he asked.

"I don't know who specifically, but I know she will be pretty. And you will have 4 or 5 kids."

"That's a lot of mouths to feed."

"Yeah but I think you would want a big family…just like yours."

"Ok that sounds pretty good. What about your future?"

"Well, I don't think mine would change too much. I will probably still be living at home, or maybe I'll have my own place. I'll spend most of my time hunting in the woods." Gale stopped her there to ask her a question.

"But you will get married eventually, right?" he asked.

"Gale, you know I don't want to get married." she said annoyed that he would bring up this topic. They talked about this topic on a regular basis. He could never understand why she would choose that option.

"You just wait. One day you are going to fall in love with someone and you will quickly forget about that rule. You will probably end up with more kids than me."

"Gale, stop!" she reprimanded him.

"I know you are afraid about your kids and the reaping but look at all the kids in District 12 that never step into the arena. The odds aren't that horrible."

"Do you ever think, in the future, there won't be any more Hunger Games?"

"It can't go on forever, right? One day, someone will figure out how to overthrow the Capitol and abolish them for good." he said. Katniss could detect the hopefulness in his voice.

"Have you ever been in love, Gale?" she asked, returning to their previous topic.

"Yeah, once."

"How old were you?" she asked.

"I was about your age."

"How did it feel?" she asked

"It's the best feeling in the world."  
"How did you know you were in love with her?" Katniss asked. This was an unfamiliar subject for her.

"Well, I wanted to be around her all the time. You also do some pretty stupid things when you are in love. You'll understand it all one day."  
"Yeah, maybe." she said with doubt.

"Katniss, I'm going to get you out of that arena. I can't let you die in there." he said seriously as he touched her face. "You are going to win the Hunger Games. I need you to believe that."

"What about the Careers?"

"We will outsmart them."

"How?"

"We will figure out their weaknesses during training and use them to defeat the six of them."

"They will be out to get us, though. Did you see how angry they were that we upstaged them last night? Cinna and Portia are brilliant."

"I'm sure our names are on the lips of every person in the Capitol today." he said with a smile.


	9. Training Begins

**Another long chapter! Lots of interesting events unfold in this chapter...hope you like it! :)**

* * *

Chapter 9

Katniss and Gale met Effie and Haymitch in the dining room for breakfast. After Effie read the itinerary, Haymitch get right down to business. Katniss realizes that he isn't as drunk as he would normally be by this time of day.

"Training begins today. You will have three days to acquire as many skills as possible. I suggest you try to hit every station, even the ones that seem insignificant. Depending on the arena, the little skills could save your life. I also need to know your strengths so I can build a strategy." Haymitch said.

"We are both good hunters. We've been hunting together for 4 years now so we work very well together. My strong point is snares and Katniss's is a bow and arrow."

"That could be useful. I want you to skip those stations during the group training stations. We don't need your competition to see what your strengths are. I also want you two to stick together today…let the other tributes know that you are not alone. And whatever you do, don't let any intimidation or fear show on your face. The strongest will go after the weakest tributes first. The more time you can buy in the arena, the better." When Haymitch was done his speech, he pulled out his flask and took a few swigs. Did he delay his drinking just to give that speech? Whatever he was doing, it seemed like Haymitch actually cared about the District 12 tributes. When breakfast was over, tributes went back to their rooms to get ready for the day. Then, they met Effie at the elevator to the go down to the training room, which is a large gymnasium with different stations set up around the perimeter. They met up with the other tributes in the center of the room where the Head Trainer told them the rules and about each station. When she was finished, they were free to roam around the gym.

"Where to first?" Gale asked Katniss.

"Let's start with knots." she said. They were the only ones at the station. The Careers rushed over to the stations containing weapons and were showing off how easily they could kill. Katniss didn't let her fear show. She kept a confident exterior.

Gale mainly watched as Katniss learned how to do a variety of snares. He was already a proficient and didn't want to let the other tributes know how good he was. He just fidgeted with the rope, pretending like he had no clue about what he was doing. Next they went to the Edible Plant station. They already knew a lot about the plants, just based on the knowledge that Katniss had and shared with Gale during all those years of hunting. They did learn about a few that they had never seen before. They visited the hand-to-hand combat station and the spears station before lunch. All the tributes were forced to eat in the same dining room that connected to the training room. The Careers sat together and then random tables had only one tribute at each. Katniss was relieved that Gale was there to sit with her. It eased the tension a little.

"Well, they are awfully chummy already." Gale said looking over at the Career table.

"It's all just an act. As soon as they narrow the field, they'll turn on in each other in an instant." Katniss said. She had seen it before in the Games. She was always surprised how they could instantly dismiss the relationships they built. One minute they could be making fun of the other tributes, and the next minute, one of the Careers would be stabbing his or her fellow Career in the chest.

"I think we could take them on." he said confident.

"Of course you can. By the way, why do you always have to be so good at everything?" Katniss asked. Gale always had a natural talent for anything he tried. She remembered the first time she showed him how to use a bow and arrow. On his second try, he hit the center of his target. He wasn't as good as her, but she had also been shooting for a lot longer than he had.

"What are you talking about?" he asked confused.

"I've never even see you pick up a spear before and you were hitting the target every time. And it looks like you've been training in hand-to-hand combat for years."

"I'm not that good, Katniss."

"Then why are the Careers staring this way?"

"They probably want to know why we are sitting together. None of the other district tributes are sitting together."

"Just make sure you are more discrete after lunch. We don't need them thinking you are too much of a threat or they might try to take you out at the start."

"It's not my fault if I have natural talent." he said with a smile. Katniss rolled her eyes at him. His eyes lit up with a plan. "Hey, I am going to whisper something into your ear and I want to you to laugh and look over at them."

Katniss was unsure about this but she deciding to take part in the façade. Gale leaned over, cupped his hand around her ear, and recited an old tongue-twister from District 12. Katniss let out a laugh and looked straight into the eyes of the toughest looking girl at the Careers table. The whole table looked bewildered, wondering what Gale told Katniss. For once, they were the ones that looked intimidated.

"Ok, I think that's enough. We don't want to add fuel to the fire." Katniss said to Gale. After lunch, they visited a few more stations and then returned back to floor 12 of the Training Center. They went to their rooms to clean up before dinner.

After Katniss had showered, she turned on the TV in her room. During the Hunger Games, the Capitol had about a dozen channels that broadcasted footage from this year's events and previous Games as well. The channel that was currently on had commentary about the current Games. She was about to switch it when she looked at the text on the bottom of the screen. It read: "Coming Up: Exclusive Interview from District 12 with Peeta Mellark." Katniss couldn't believe her eyes. She walked closer to the screen to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. It was definitely his name. She didn't know why it was an exclusive interview. The Capitol controlled all of the programming. There was no competition to scoop up the story before they could. She sat on her bed waiting for the interview, blocking out what Claudius Templesmith was saying.

After a few minutes, the screen cut to the interview. Peeta was standing in front of the bakery with a female reporter. Katniss felt her heart skip a beat when she saw him. They had clearly pulled him from his work because he still had a white apron tied around his waist and some flour marks on his arms. Katniss watched as the reporter asked her first question.

"So Peeta, how did you feel when Gale Hawthorne volunteered for you at the reaping?" she asked. Peeta stood there for a few seconds, searching for the right words to say. Katniss knew he was probably thinking of an answer that the Capitol couldn't use against him.

"I was shocked just like the rest of District 12. Volunteers aren't something we come across in District 12, so the fact that we had two in one day was a very unique experience."

"What is your relationship with Gale Hawthorne?" she asked digging deeper.

"We know of each other but I don't think we've actually ever spoken before."

"Then why did he volunteer for you if he didn't know you?"  
"I am not sure, I guess you will have to ask him to find out the answer." he said with a smile. It looks like he is wondering why he did it too.

"What about Katniss Everdeen? Is he somehow connected to her? What is their relationship like?" the report said, prying for more information. Katniss watched as Peeta's expression changed at the sound of her name. He was silent for more than a minute before the reporter asked him again about their relationship.

"I'm not really sure about that. I see them hanging out at school together. I think they are friends." Peeta said. She could see confusion in his face, as if he was trying to add up the facts.

"We aren't a couple, Peeta." Katniss said to the screen. She doesn't know why she is saying it out loud. He cannot hear her. She knows that Peeta is probably thinking about that at this point in the interview.

"I think everyone in Panem is curious as to why you punched Gale Hawthorne in the face after he volunteered for you. It seems like a very unlikely reaction." the reporter said. Katniss couldn't believe they were actually airing this interview. It looks as if they are just searching for a story.

"It was a very emotional day and everything just seemed to be a blur after my name was called. When I heard him volunteer, I thought he was stupid for doing so. District 12's tributes generally don't make it out of the arena alive, and I just lost it. I am sorry for my actions though. I obviously wasn't thinking with a clear mind."

Katniss was frustrated at this point. What if he won't help her family because he thinks she is in a relationship with Gale? Would he go back on the promise he made? She would give anything to talk to Peeta Mellark right now.

In the background of the shot, under the sign of the bakery, she notices a telephone number. She runs to her nightstand and grabs the notepad and pen sitting next to the lamp. She gets close to the screen and transcribes the sets of numbers. There is no telephone in her room but there has to be one somewhere in the building. Maybe the mentors have telephones? Even if she could gain access to one, she still doesn't know how to use it. There were no telephones in the Seam. She had never used one in her life. The telephones here were probably more technical, too. If the showers in the Capitol had a hundred buttons, she could only imagine what the telephones were like.

She watched the rest of the interview with Peeta. He seemed to turn it around midway through and was giving very impressive answers to the questions. He was a natural at winning over an audience. If he were here in the Games, he would surely gain favor with citizens of the Capitol. He could easily get sponsors for them. Katniss wondered how Gale would be in the interviews. Looks can only get you so far. In the Hunger Games, you need to have the whole package: looks, personality, talents, and more. She hoped he could pull it off.

After Katniss got ready, she walked down to the dining room for dinner. During dinner, Gale and Katniss told Haymitch everything that happened in the training center.

"Sounds like you had a successful day. Try not to piss off the Careers too much though. You don't want them hunting you down as soon as the Game starts. Tomorrow, when you are in the training center, I want you to study them, get to know what they can do. Only don't let them catch you spying on them. Be discreet." After dinner, they were dismissed. Katniss went straight to her room.

'_No going to Gale's room tonight…it's not fair to him._' she thought to herself. '_It's only a room, nothing bad can happen in here._' Then she thought of the nightmares, something no room can keep away. She looked to the door, thinking about it. '_No, it's time to act like a grown up. He can't always be there to protect you._'

Katniss shut off the lights and climbed into bed. She left the blinds open and the light from the city illuminated her room with a soft glow. She thought about Peeta and what it would be like if he were here her instead of Gale. Would they be friends or would it just be awkward? He didn't have the skills that Gale had, but he could talk, and he had such a likeable personality. Words can't protect you in an arena, but if anyone could talk their way out of being killed by another tribute, it would be Peeta. She came to the conclusion that, in terms of protection, Gale was her best option. He would never let anyone get to her. Even in school, when an unkind word was said about Katniss, he never let it go unchallenged. He confronted the person and disproved them. She had come to rely on him so much. She couldn't think of life without him, but if they went forward with his plan, he wouldn't make it out of the arena alive. Who would she hunt with? Could she find another best friend? Is that was Peeta is for…to replace Gale? She wondered if the two of them were conspiring with other another. Was this the plan the whole time? She thought about different scenarios between Gale and Peeta.

Katniss forced herself to stop thinking about this. It was absurd. They had never talked before in their lives. They also didn't know that she would volunteer, and it was just chance that Peeta's name had been pulled from the Reaping bowl.

'I must be going crazy.' she thought. Normal people didn't have all these irrational thoughts. Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. She quickly made her way to the entrance of her room and opened the door. Gale was standing there.

"You up for another sleepover?" he asked. It would have been easy to give in, but Katniss remembered that she couldn't keep depending on him so much.

"Not tonight, Gale." she said evenly.

"Why not?" he asked. He couldn't make this simple.

"It's not a good night."

"What is that even suppose to mean. What's going on?" He was getting suspicious. She decided to be up front.

"I'd just keep waking you up all night. It wouldn't be fair to you."

"I don't mind." he said.

She had more to say, but she kept on getting choked up when she tried to say the words. She knew he wouldn't like hearing it.

"Catnip, if that's the only reason, then I don't see what the problem is." he said sweetly.

She walked inside her room and Gale followed her, leaving the door open.

"Katniss, what is really going on here?" he said with a little more force. He knew she was keeping something from him.

"I can't keep on relying on you to protect me, Gale. You aren't always going to be around and it's time I start accepting it." she shouted. She could feel her body tremble as she said the words aloud.

"You're my best friend! Of course I am going to protect you." he shouted back.

"You weren't even supposed to be here!" she reminded him.

"What was I suppose to do, sit at home and watch Peeta Mellark look after you?"

"Yes!" she said. Just then, a drunken Haymitch was walking past the door when he heard the fighting. He stopped in the doorway.

"Lovers quarrel?" he slurred. This set Katniss off. She briskly walked to the door, slapped Haymitch's face and slammed the door shut. She returned to where Gale was standing.

"What do you have against Peeta Mellark anyway? You don't even know him."

"I know he likes you."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Nothing." he muttered.

"I'm going to bed. You do whatever you feel like doing." she said as she returned to bed. She turned to face the window so that she wasn't looking at Gale. A few seconds later, she heard door open and then slam shut.

'_I did the right thing._' she told herself. '_He shouldn't have asked why in the first place._' Katniss closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep after the long, exhausting day.

The nightmares seemed to plague Katniss nonstop. Each time she fell asleep, another horror filled her dreams. In one, Peeta was with them in the Games, and Gale and him were fighting again, only this time, they had weapons. They had both wounded each other but Katniss woke up before the ending could play out. In another nightmare, the Career she scoffed at during lunch managed to take her down 15 seconds into the Game and killed Katniss with her bare hands. The last nightmare was the longest and most vivid. She was in the arena and discovered Gale had joined the Careers. He led the pack on a hunt to track her down. It only took a few hours for him to find her. He knew she would be up in a tree…she was always was good at climbing. The Careers cut the tree down with an axe and Gale pulled her from the fallen branches. The largest Career boy gave him the knife and he stabbed her, right in the heart.

Katniss got out of bed after the last nightmare. It was dawn. If she had been in District 12, she would have snuck out of the house and gone into the woods to hunt. It always seemed to clear her mind. She contemplated sneaking down to the training room to use the bow and arrows but she knew she would get in trouble. She wondered what the penalty was for trying to sneak in some extra training. Had any tribute attempt to do that before, and had they gotten caught?

Katniss looked over to the table beside her bed to check the clock. It was 6:00 a.m. Next to the clock, she noticed the pad of paper with the telephone number on it. She had nearly forgotten about it. Today, she would track down a telephone to call Peeta. She decided Haymitch's room would be the best place to start. She waited a few hours until she thought the time was right. She only hoped Haymitch wouldn't be passed out from drinking the night before.

She walked down the hall to Haymitch's room with the phone number tucked into her pocket. Hopefully, there would be a telephone in his room and she wouldn't have to put up a fight to use it. She knocked on the door and heard Haymitch shout to come in. When she entered, she saw him taking a swig from his flask. She quickly scanned the room and saw a telephone on a small table next to a chair in the corner.

"Make it quick, sweetheart. Effie wants me to meet her to talk about something _important_." he said rolling his eyes.

"Why don't tributes get phones in their rooms?" she asked.

"So you can't go blabbering about what they do to you here, I guess."

"What if I used someone else's phone?" she asked. Haymitch smiled.

"Well, I guess you'd have to get caught to get in trouble. You know, for the Capitol being so high tech about everything here, the phones are pretty easy to use. Well I got to go; you know how Effie gets when you are late. I take it you can let yourself out." he said giving her a wink before he shut the door behind him. Katniss gave a sly smile. Maybe Haymitch wasn't so bad after all. She locked the door behind her and ran to the phone.

When she picked up the phone, an automated message came on. '_If you would like to make a call inside the Capitol, please press 1. For all other calls, press 2.'_ Katniss pressed 2 and another menu was pulled up. _'If you would like to place a call to District 1, please press 1. For District 2, press 2…"_. Katniss figured to call District 12, she would probably have to press a button with a 12 on it. She saw a special row of buttons on the phone with 10, 11, and 12 printed on them just for this function. After she pressed button 12, the voice informed her to enter the phone number of the party she was trying to reach. She unfolded the paper and hit in the numbers. She could hear the phone ringing. She hoped that Peeta's mother wouldn't answer the phone. She probably wouldn't let him stop his work to take a personal call. Luck was on her side, because a male voice answered the phone.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Hi, may I speak with Peeta Mellark?" she asked.

"Sure, will you hold?"

"Yes." she replied. She waited a minute before she could hear Peeta pick up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi Peeta, it's Katniss…Katniss Everdeen." she said. As if she need to add her surname. She was probably the only person on the planet with that first name.

"Is this some kind of trick?" he asked. Everyone knew that once the tributes were put onto the train, they were cut off from communicating with anyone outside of the Capitol.

"No Peeta, it's really me. I snuck into Haymitch's room to use his phone."  
"How did you get this number?" he asked still a little skeptical.

"I saw it on the bakery sign during the interview. Peeta, it really is me."  
"You saw the interview?"

"Yes, I saw it last night. That reporter really laid it on you didn't she?"

"Yeah she did. So what did you think? Did I get all the facts right?" he asked. Katniss he had a feeling he was asking specifically about her relationship status with Gale.

"Yes everything was right."

"Ok good, because I really wasn't sure what to tell her when she asked about you and Gale." he said as coolly as possible.

"He's just my friend, Peeta." she said.

"The day before the Reaping, he was holding your hand." he said. Of course he would have noticed that.  
"It wasn't like that. He was just trying to calm me down. I was worrying about Prim."

"Ok. So what's it like there?"

"It's totally different from District 12. Everything here is bigger and bolder and fancier than anything we have. It's a little overwhelming. How are things in District 12?"

"Things are good here. I took some bread to your family and told them about the arrangement we made. Prim made me stay to watch the opening ceremonies."

"Sorry about that." she said.

"No, it was nice. You looked amazing, by the way. Everyone was talking about how wonderful the costumes for District 12 were this year."

"Thanks, we got new stylists this year and they are extraordinary. It's nice knowing that I won't have to worry about what they will make me wear for the rest of the week."

"Well that is good. Oh, by the way, I took some bread to Gale's family too. Let him know that I got them covered too." he said. Of course he did. Peeta Mellark was probably the kindest person in District 12.

"Thanks, I know that will mean a lot to him. It's weird, I feel like there is just so much I don't know about you." she said. It was true. Last night, she tried to think about some of the simplest facts you would know about someone and she couldn't even answer them.

"What do you want to know?" he asked.

"I guess you could start off by telling me your favorite color." she said. She wished that he could be with her, having this conversation in person. The phone conversation felt so impersonal but it would have to do.

"Orange." he said.

"Really?"

"Yeah, more of a soft orange though, like what you see at sunset. What about you?"

"Green." she replied. "What do you like to do in your spare time?"

"Between school and working at the bakery, I don't really have any spare time." he said. This answer shocked her a little. She always thought that the merchant children had more spare time than children in the Seam, and the money to pursue their interests.

"What would you like to do if you did have the time?"

"Art. My mom seems to think art is just a waste of time though." This made Katniss annoyed. Why did his mother feel the need to control his life so much?

"You would be good at it. I've seen the cakes you've decorated before."

"Nah, that's different."

"No it isn't." she said defending her statement. She wouldn't let him brush off his talent.

"Do you still sing?" he asked.

"What?" She didn't see that question coming.

"I asked if you still sing. I remember you used to sing all the time when you were younger." It was true. Whenever the teachers asked for volunteers to sing something, her hand shot up before any other student's could. She didn't do it to show off; she did it because she enjoyed it more than anything else. She would also sing along with her father when they walked through town.

"Not since my father died." she realized.

"You should start singing again. You were good."

"Whatever, it doesn't matter now." she said wishing he would change the subject.

"It used to matter to you."

"Things change."  
"He wouldn't want you to have stopped singing just because he isn't around anymore." Peeta said softly. Katniss was surprised that his comment didn't anger her. Every other time someone said a similar remark, she would always shout at the person that they didn't understand. The words and tone Peeta chose made her realize that it was the true. She missed singing and wasn't punishing anyone but herself. It might actually be a good way to relieve some stress.

"I wouldn't even know where to start."

"I'm not saying you have to sing in front of all of Panem. Start off small…sing a little when you are by yourself and go from there."

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry I brought up such a sensitive subject."

"It's ok. I have to go soon. Effie doesn't like it when we are late to meetings."

"Ok I will let you go, but I just have one more thing to ask you. How is Haymitch? Is he trying to help you or is it true that he lies around there drunk all the time?"

"Gale and I finally struck up a deal with him. He said he will help us if we don't get in the way of his drinking and we have to do anything he tells us to do."

"Anything? You really think that's a good idea?"

"We didn't have much of a choice. He won the Quarter Quell and he's mentored ever since then. He must have picked up some good strategies along the way." She went quiet. She knew it was time for her to go, but they still had so much to talk about.

"You have to go, don't you?" he asked. He could sense that their time was up.

"Yes, we have training soon."

"Yeah, that's important. Will you call again?"

"I can't…it's too risky."

"I'll see you in a couple weeks." he said making sure there was not a hint of questioning in his voice.

"At the train station?"

"Yes, I'll meet you there when you get back."

"Bye Peeta…I mean, I'll see you later." she corrected herself.

"Good luck, Katniss." he said before she hung up the phone. She left Haymitch's room and went into her own room to change into her training clothes. She then walked down to the dining room for breakfast. Gale was already sitting down, eating breakfast. She hesitantly sat down next to him. An attendant brought her breakfast to her right away.  
"Did you have any nightmares last night?" he asked, not look up from his plate.

"Lots." she said.

"Good." he said looking up at her with a smirk.

"Gale, what the hell happened last night? Those two people that were fighting…that wasn't us. That's not what we do." she said slightly raising her voice. "Right before you came to my room last night, I told myself that I wouldn't go crawling to you. I can't expect you to always be there."

"You know you don't always have to act so tough." he said.

"What are you talking about?"

"You think you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders but no one can do that. It's ok to ask for help. That's what friends are for."

"You're already doing to so much for me."

"I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't want to. I volunteered, remember?"

She nodded her head. Things between them calmed down.

"It's weird, last night I was starting to think you were actually jealous of Peeta Mellark." Katniss said trying to lighten the mood. As soon as the words escaped her mouth, Gale coughed on the gulp on water he had taken just as she spoke.


	10. The Training Continues

**Here it is...another chapter! This one is from Gale's POV. **

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Chapter 10

Gale coughed for about a minute after she said those words. When he had recovered from the coughing spell, he spoke.

"That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, Katniss." he said with a laugh.

"I know. It's funny the things you think of when you're angry." she said shrugging her shoulders.

'_That was close; she almost figured it out._' he thought. It was the only secret he had ever kept up from her in all the years he had known her. '_If she ever finds out, it will change everything. Only a few weeks left to go and the secret will die with me. My best friend will never know that I am in love with her._'

"Gale, is everything okay?"

"I'm just thinking about my family. I'm going to go to my room until training starts. I'll meet you at the elevator." He left quietly and returned to his room, sitting on the edge of his bed. He rested his elbows on his knee and pressed his hands to his forehead.

Truth of the matter was that he was jealous of Peeta. When the Games were over, he would get to be with her. If he played his cards right, she would be in his life forever. He always knew Katniss had a thing for Peeta. When he would hang out with her at school, she would glance in Peeta's direction at least once a day. He would even try to make her jealous by flirting with girls right of her. She never looked the least bit annoyed.

Gale stretched back on the bed and remembered that first moment when everything changed. It was seared into his memory. It was a couple years back. They were racing through the forest, weaving through the trees. Katniss was about 15 feet ahead of him. She turned around and gave him the warmest smile. He remembered how beautiful she looked when the shadows of the rustling trees shifted around her face. He was so captivated by her he almost ran into a tree. He quickly shuffled his feet and managed to avoid it. He tried to stay focused but every time she looked back to see if he was gaining on her, he felt his heart flutter. He continued to chase her, not being able to keep up with her. She had always been quick. Eventually, his inability to concentrate caused him to trip over a fallen tree that he had not seen. When she realized he wasn't behind her, she turned around and found him lying on the forest floor. He was lucky he had only sprained his ankle.

Gale's thoughts were interrupted when he heard a knock on the door. A few seconds later, Katniss rushed in.

"Come on, Gale, we are going to be late for training!" she said.

He looked at the clock and realized they only had a minute to get to the Training Room. He jumped off the bed and they raced down the hall to the elevator. She looked back to make sure he was following her. Gale smiled when he saw her do this. By the time he caught up with her, she was pushing the down button repeatedly.

"Come on…come on." she muttered.

"Calm down, Katniss."

"We shouldn't be late!" she said.

"Sounds like Effie is rubbing off on you." he said with a laugh. She glared her eyes at him.

'_She's even cute when she's angry._' he thought. The elevator doors opened and they quickly got in. She hit the button marked TR and the doors closed. He wondered what she would do if he pulled her towards him and kissed her.

"Why the smirk, Hawthorne?" she asked, still a little heated.

"Oh, nothing." he said as he watched the numbers light up as the reached each floor.

"Why didn't you meet me?"

"I lost track of time. I'm sorry." he said. The doors opened and they briskly walked to the entrance. All the other tributes were in the training room and they turned to face Gale and Katniss. Luckily the head Trainer hadn't addressed them yet. A few minutes later the she greeted them, and began the training session.

Gale and Katniss went to the camouflage station first. This would give them a good chance to spy on the other tributes. The trainer gave them instruction on how paint themselves to blend in with trees and then he let them try to duplicate the work. Gale was more interested in the other tributes than he was at learning how to do this. He realized that the Careers weren't their only competition this year. The boy from District 11 was stronger than anyone he had ever seen. He easily took down the assistant every time in the hand-to-hand combat station.

Next, they went to the knots station. After fidgeting with the rope, he looked up at Katniss. She had her eyes fixed on the little girl from District 11.

"I couldn't imagine what Prim would be doing if she was here." Katniss said breaking the silence.

'_Of course she's thinking about her_.' Gale thought. He had always found it sweet how devoted Katniss was to her little sister. She would risk her life for her; in fact, that is what she is doing right now. He figured it was his turn to say something. "Well it's a good thing you thought to volunteer on her behalf."

"I didn't really have much of a choice, did I?"

"Plenty of people wouldn't…like that girl four years ago. She had a sister that was 17 and she didn't volunteer."

"I remember. That was my first time in the Reaping. That was the day I realized that if that ever happen to Prim, I would volunteer for her. There is no way she'd last a day in the arena with this lot."

"That girl is pretty quick…and a good climber." Gale said trying to cheer her up.

"Yeah, I guess so." she said. "Maybe we could try to make her the victor."

Gale felt his heart stop. Was she reconsidering their plan?

"No Katniss!" he shouted. Half of the tributes looked over at him. He grabbed her by the arm and took her into a small room that connected to the training room. "Do you have to be so selfless?"

"I can't help it if that the way I think."

"If you die in that arena, Prim is as good as dead. If the starvation doesn't kill her, then it will be from the tesserae. You were worried when she had one slip of paper in the Reaping ball. What happens when her name is in there 10 or 15 times?" he asked. He saw the fire ignite in her eyes and she pushed him against the stone wall. She didn't say anything.  
"You know it's the truth." he said with worried look on his face. He could see tears welling up her eyes as she nodded her head. "Katniss, don't cry."

She managed to hold back the tears. Before any more words could be exchanged, Haymitch busted through the door and slammed it shut.

"I got a call from a trainer telling me that my tributes have trespassed into one of their offices and are fighting each other. Explain!" he shouts. Both Gale and Katniss are shocked at how composed Haymitch seems. They aren't sure if he if actually sober or if the news has sobered him from his drunken state.

"It was my fault. I said something stupid." Katniss said.

"I brought her in here so I could talk to her without the other tributes hearing."

"Well you certainly got their attention. They've all had their eyes on this room, waiting for you to come out. I don't know why I told you two to stick together since you obviously can't stand each other." Haymitch fumed. He calmed his tone. "The two of you will work separately for training…no contact whatsoever while you are in front of the other tributes."

"What!" Gale and Katniss said at the same time.

"You heard me. Not even during lunch. You sit at separate tables and don't even look at each other."

"No." Katniss said.

"You're the one that got us in this mess. We need to change our strategy now. This might actually be better. The Careers will gain some confidence that there isn't another team to compete with in the arena. That is what causes them to get killed in the Games. They are overconfident and then they let their guard down. That's when you will take them out."

"You plan on having us attack the Careers in the arena?" Gale asked surprised.

"They need to be taken out eventually. We can talk about this later. You need to get back out there and continue your training." Haymitch said. He opened the door and left. Gale watched Katniss quickly walk out of the office. Gale stepped into the training room to see what she would do next. He saw her head right for the archery station.

'_What is she doing?_' he thought. Haymitch told her to avoid that station until the private sessions. He watched as she swiftly picked a bow and arrow. She faced the target, drew back the arrow and hit the human target right in the heart. She dropped the bow, then left the room. All eyes went from her to Gale, wondering what he could have possibly said to her.


	11. Confusion

Short chapter, but there is some Haymitch POV at the end! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or any of its characters.

* * *

Chapter 11

Katniss sat in the dining room alone, waiting for lunch to begin. She knew she wasn't supposed to use the bow and arrows, but she couldn't resist them any longer. She also wanted to send a message to the other tributes: I can take you down in one shot. She wondered what Gale was doing at this moment. He stood frozen when she left the room. All the tributes did. The only things that moved were their eyes as they watched her storm out.

She was relieved that the trainers didn't make her return to training. She walked around the room, looking at the victors' portraits that lined the walls, starting with the victor from the 1st Hunger Games. She started humming an old folk song from District 12. She noticed under each portrait was a small gold plaque with the year of the Hunger Games they won, followed by the victor's name, age, and district. Most of the victors were from District 1, 2, or 4. There were some random districts scattered among the walls. She stopped when she got to the portrait of a young Haymitch Abernathy. She couldn't believe that it was him. He was so young and handsome and full of life. He was the same age as Katniss when he won the Quarter Quell. She wondered how he did it. How did he outlast 47 other tributes? She also wondered how long it was after this picture that he turned into a drunk.

Before Katniss could finish her walk around the room, the other tributes filed into the dining room for lunch. She took a seat at the table closest to where she was standing. Gale followed Haymitch's order and sat at a different table than her. During lunch, she continued to think about Haymitch's past and what his life was like before and after the Games. Then, it was time to go back into the training room. She chose a different station than Gale. She hoped none of the other tributes would come talk to her now that she was alone. The last thing she needed was to establish a relationship with them.

When training was over, the tributes took turns taking the elevators back to their floors. Katniss and Gale managed to hop in the same one along with some other tributes. After floor 8, it was only the two of them. They didn't even bother to talk to each other. Katniss felt emotionally drained. She slowly made her way back to her room and collapsed onto her bed. It didn't even take her a full minute to fall fast asleep.

* * *

Katniss woke up to the sun shining in her eyes. Had she really slept through the night…and how did she get under the covers? She turned to her right and saw Gale sleeping next to her. She wondered how long he had been in her room? Why didn't he wake her up for dinner? She decided to let him sleep while she got ready for the final day of training. When she was finished, she laid next to him.

"Gale, it's time to wake up." she said softly.

"No." he said with a groan.

"You're going to miss breakfast."

"I don't care." he mumbled.

"Gale, come on. It's a big, big, big day!" she said imitating Effie. She usually started everyday with this phrase. They both started laughing hysterically. Katniss leaned on Gale while she tried to compose herself.

"You sounded just like her." Gale said still snickering.

"Well, at least I picked up one new skill at the Capitol."

"Ah, it feels good to laugh." he said finally settling down a little.

"Yeah, it does. I wish it could just stay like this." she said resting her head on his shoulder.

"Why can't it?" Gale asked.

"Because of what's about to happen." she said not wanting to think about the details.

"Then let's try to enjoy the next two days. We can still create some good memories while we are here."

Katniss thought about what Gale had just said. He was doing this for her, so she could have a few more happy memories of him for after he was gone.

"There has to be a way to get you out of there too." she said softly.

"There is only one way I am getting out of the arena. I'm ok with this Katniss. Over the past few days, I have come to terms with what is going to happen."

"I don't believe you. No one is ever ready to die."

"You have a lot to learn." was the only thing Gale could say.

"I'm skipping breakfast today…I'm not really in the mood to eat."

"Yeah, same here." Gale said quietly. "I could use a little more sleep anyway."

They both closed their eyes, attempting to get some rest for the big day head of them.

* * *

Haymitch sat in the dining room waiting for his tributes to arrive. They were already 15 minutes late and they had a lot to discuss. His hands were already trembling from the lack of alcohol in his system. He decided to hold off on the drinking until after he talked to them. He didn't know how much longer he could wait. He filled his plate with food and started eating to take his mind off his detoxification. He had finished his breakfast and they still weren't there.

"If you want to talk to them so badly, just go and find them!" Effie finally burst out. She was tired of hearing him mutter about their absence. He left the dining room and went to Gale's room first. He knocked, and then entered to find it empty. He went to Katniss's room next and didn't even bother to knock this time.

"We need to talk!" he said with a booming voice. He walked in to find both tributes sleeping in the center of the bed. Katniss had her head on Gale's shoulder, and his arms were wrapped around her. He questioned what they really were to one another. All of their actions had relationship written all over them. Were they really best friends or were they just lying to him. He needed to know this stuff if he was going to be a good mentor. Full disclosure is vital.

"Teenagers…" he muttered to himself. He left room and banged on the door. He wasn't sure why he did this. Maybe he did this to avoid the embarrassment of them trying to explain why they were cuddled up to one another. Katniss came to the door, with a hazy demeanor. "I need you two to meet me by the elevator in 10 minutes." Haymitch closed the door and went on his way.


	12. The Private Sessions

**Here it is...another Chapter! The final day of Training is here! There is also some more Gale POV in this Chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games, or any of its characters.**

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Chapter 12

Katniss woke up Gale and he returned to his room to get ready. She stressed how important it was for him to be on time. Haymitch was not in a chipper mood today. He was taking a few swigs from his flask as she approached him.

"Where's your other half?" Haymitch responded when he didn't see Gale next to her. She gave him a confused look. What did he mean by that comment? She heard footsteps behind her and Gale appeared by her side.

"Here eat these." Haymitch said handing them each a bar that was wrapped in foil.

"What is it?" Katniss asked.

"It's an energy bar…you'll need something in your stomach since you decided to skip out on breakfast."

Katniss had never heard of an energy bar before. She questioned the nature of the bar and if it was even legal. She unwrapped it and took a bite before Haymitch could harp on her even more. It tasted horrible. It was so solid and gritty and took way too long to finish chewing each bite. She couldn't distinguish what flavor it was so she looked at the wrapper, which read "Chocolate". This tasted nothing like the chocolates she had eaten in the Capitol. She saw Haymitch smile with satisfaction. Did he enjoy watching her disgusted expression as she tried to finish the bar? Was this payback for their tardiness?

"You will continue working by yourselves in training today. If there were any stations you didn't get to yet, start with those ones first."

"Even archery?" Katniss asked. Haymitch thought about it for a while.

"Yes, but no showing off. Just stay there long enough to get use to the bow and arrows that they are providing. After lunch, they will start calling in tributes one by one to the private sessions. They work their way up the District and the male tribute goes before the female tribute. Make sure you impress the Gamemakers as soon as you can because they can dismiss you at any time. Their scores will help you win sponsors, so don't screw up." He pushed the elevator button and then sent them on their way. They waited for the doors to close before they talked.

"What were in those bars?" Katniss asked as she stuck out her tongue.

"I don't know, but they are definitely the worst thing I ever ate."

"Which says a lot coming from District 12." Katniss added. They soon reached the Training Room floor and got off the lift.

"You go in first. We don't want the other tributes thinking we actually like each other." Gale said.

"I'll talk to you later." she said before leaving. Most of the other tributes were already there and a few of them looked at her wondering where Gale was. Others, mostly the Careers, looked with satisfaction as they saw that she was all alone. Two more tributes entered before Gale made his appearance. He stood as far away from her as he could. The head trainer greeted them once again and explained the schedule for the day. When they were allowed to start training, Katniss went over to the knife-throwing station. She decided she would hit the archery station later in the morning session so the other tributes would be too focused with their own training to watch her. She had never thrown a knife before in her life but she figured it would be similar to archery since it involved sending a flying object into the air to hit a target. She was wrong. She did ok when she was close to the target but when she moved back to 15 feet, it was a disaster. Her knife missed the target completely and was lodged high into the wall behind it. It took about 10 tries just for her to get the knife in one of the circles. She became a little bit better as time progressed but her aim with a knife was very inaccurate.

Next, she went to the Mace station. She didn't really understand what this weapon was doing in the Training Center. It looked so barbaric. Did anyone even use these in modern times? The spikes protruding from the sphere could do some real damage to your opponent. Katniss swung the mace around, hitting a moving metal target. Each time she struck it, a loud clang resonated throughout the room. It felt good to get out all the emotions that raged inside of her. While it was a good stress reliever, she couldn't imagine actually using this weapon on a tribute in the arena. Being bludgeoned was a slow, painful death, she imagined. It's bad enough she might have to kill someone in the arena, but to hear the person suffer through it would be too much her to handle.

She moved to the archery station afterwards. She picked up the bow and smiled. She wished she was back in the woods near District 12, hunting with Gale. She looked over her shoulder and saw that Gale was currently at the knife throwing station. He was excelling, just as he had on the previous stations he attended. She imagined what Gale would have been like if he had grown up in one of the Career districts…if he had all those years of proper training. No one would stand a chance against him in the Games. He also wouldn't be the same Gale she knows and loves. He would probably be cruel and cold in demeanor. And he would most certainly have a really stupid name as well…all the Careers do. She always wondered what goes through a Career parent's head when choosing a name for their child. He would probably be called Cameo or something like that.

She turned her focus back to the target of the archery station. She pinpointed different marks she wanted to hit such as the tip of the elbow, the heel, and the pinky finger. She hoped that onlookers would think she was aiming for the heart on the human target like she did yesterday. Maybe they would think she just had beginners luck. She hit her mark every time. When she was finished, it was time for lunch. She sat at a separate table just as she had the day before. She thought some more about the inhabitants of the Career districts. She had only really seen the tributes that came from those districts. Was everyone who lived there so brutal or did they have ordinary lives like the people in District 12?

When lunch was over, the Trainers called for the tributes to go into the Training room for the private sessions. It didn't take long for Katniss to become antsy while waiting. Why couldn't they start with District 12, just once? The waiting wouldn't have been so bad if she had been able to talk to Gale. Hours passed and then it was just the two of them in the room. Gale came over and sat next to each other.

"What are you going to do in there?" Katniss asked.

"I'm not sure yet." Gale said. How could he not be sure? He's had hours to think of a plan.

"Hit all the major weapons stations. Show them your versatility."

"Thanks. Make sure you try to remain calm when you are in there. I noticed your aim was off today in the archery station. You can't let your nerves get to you."

Katniss smiled. She had even fooled Gale with her earlier tactics.

"What is it?" he asked.

"My shooting was right on point. I wasn't aiming for the heart." she said.

"Well aren't you the cunning one." he said smiling back at Katniss.

"Do you think the others bought it?"

"If I couldn't tell what you were really doing, I doubt they will have figured out your plan."

"Good." When Katniss finished speaking, a trainer came to get Gale for his session. She wished him good luck before he left. Now she was alone in the room. She decided to study the rest of the victor portraits while she waited. Just as she finished looking at the last one, her name was called. She followed the trainer into the Training Room. It was so quiet, apart from the chatter of the Gamemakers. She went straight to the archery station and picked up the bow she had been using earlier. She shot at the round target and hit the bulls eye. She drew another arrow out of the her quiver and shot again, this time splitting the arrow at the center of the bulls eye into two pieces. She smiled with satisfaction. She looked over at the Gamemakers and saw it was not enough to warrant their attention.

'_I'll just have to try something more impressive'_ she thought. She decided to not limit herself to the confines of the archery station. She loaded the quiver with more arrows and went around the room, destroying components on each station. She severed the rope on the climbing station, pierced the canisters of paint in the camouflage station (sending paint spraying everywhere), and deflated the dummy at the combat station. As a final demonstration, she sent an arrow across the room to one of the buttons that controlled the lights. The arrow pressed the button and darkened half of the room. She saw a few of them nodding with approval but most of them were gathered around a roasted pig that had just been wheeled into the room.

This infuriated Katniss. What she had just done was amazing; why weren't they paying attention? She stepped into the light, drew her arrow and aimed it right at the apple that sat in the dead pig's mouth. She released the arrow and it dislodged the apple from the pig mouth, mounted it onto the wall. The Gamemakers gasped and let out cries of horror. All eyes were on her now. She decided to take control of the situation and show them they didn't control her.

"Thank you for your consideration." she said, slightly bowing. She turned around and walked into the darkness, stripping herself of her weapons. She left through the doors of the Training Room and headed back to the twelfth floor. When the doors opened, she saw Gale waiting for her. She walked right past him.

"What happened?" he asked as he caught up with her.

"I'll tell you later." she said as she kept walking. She could tell that Gale was contemplating whether or not to keep following her. He persisted to find out more.

"Come on, Katniss, it couldn't have been that bad."

She stopped walking and turned to face him. She shot him a fearful look.

"What did you do, Katniss?" he asked. He looked as worried as she was.

She couldn't say it out loud. She wished she could go back in time and erase that final shot.

"Were you off target?" he asked.

"No that's the problem. I was right on target." she said. If she hadn't been shooting with such precision, she never would have taken the shot at the apple. Katniss started walking again and didn't turn around to see if Gale was following her. She entered her room and locked the door. She went into the bathroom and took a shower on the hottest water setting she could stand. She thought about the possible repercussions from what had just transpired in the training session. The Gamemakers would probably give her the lowest score of all the tributes. No one will sponsor her and she will die in the arena. She became even more nervous when she thought about the fact that she would actually have to tell Haymitch what happened. She hoped he wasn't too inebriated. It would only add malice to his response.

When she realized she could not avoid her mentor any longer, she headed to the dining room. She felt even worse when she saw the whole District 12 team sitting around the table. She sat down and Haymitch cut right to the chase.

"So, what did you do during your sessions today?" he asked. Katniss was relieved when Gale went first.

"I did a little bit of everything…used some weapons, showed some survival skills. It went well; the Gamekeepers looked impressed."

"And you Katniss?"

"Archery." she said hoping that would be a sufficient answer.

"Specifically?" Haymitch asked. She felt it unfair that Gale didn't have to go into detail. Did Gale tell Haymitch about their conversation after she got off the elevator? She figured there was no beating around the bush. She might as well tell everyone what happened.

"I shot an arrow at the Gamekeepers." she said nonchalantly. There were gasps and whispered remarks around the table.

"You did what!" Haymitch shouted.

"I didn't hit any of them. I was just trying to get their attention. They were more focused on their dinner than watching me so I shot the apple in the roast pig's mouth."

"Do you have any idea what you've done? They control your scores. Those scores get you sponsors, not to mention that they can make your life hell in the arena." Haymitch said.

"I'm sorry, it happened so fast." she quickly apologized.

"Did they say anything before you were dismissed?" Haymitch asked.

"I wouldn't know…I dismissed myself." Katniss admitted. All of the prep team member's mouths were gaping open.

"You left before they dismissed you!" Effie exclaimed. "Where were your manners, Katniss!"

"I did very well before that though. Some of the Gamemakers saw what I did. Maybe they will convince the others to give me a decent score."

"I wouldn't count on it." Haymitch mumbled. "We can only hope to do some damage control during the interviews."

Katniss felt her heart racing. Interviews were her weakness. She never liked to speak in front of a group of people. She hated the attention and she also felt like she didn't have anything important worth sharing about herself.

After dinner, the team went into the sitting room to watch the announcing of the scores. The Careers all scored very high, pulling 9s and 10s. Gale must have impressed the Gamekeepers because he scored a 9. Katniss nervously awaited her score. Then she heard Claudius Templesmith announce her name.

"Katniss Everdeen, the female tribute of District 12 has scored an 11…the highest score of the night!" he said.

Katniss couldn't believe it. Why would they give her a score that high? She was only one point away from a perfect score. Everyone congratulated her with hugs and pats on the back. Everyone, except for Gale, departed the room. Katniss sat there, confused with what just happened.

* * *

(Gale POV)

"What's going through that mind of yours?" Gale asked sitting next to her. He knew that her mind was racing, searching for an answer to her question.

"It doesn't make sense. There has to be a reason for me scoring that high."

"Maybe they liked your tenacity. Don't stress too much trying to reason with it. You need your sleep…tomorrow is the interview."

"Don't remind me."

"You will do fine." he said taking her hand. "You have all day tomorrow to prep with Effie and Haymitch. They will make sure you know what to say and do."

"Yeah I guess you are right. Congrats on your 9, by the way."

"Thanks. It's better than I hoped for. Looks like we are giving the Careers a run for their money this year."

"Do you think they will try to take us out first?"

"No, besides, I've got a plan." Gale revealed.

"What is it?"

"I'll tell you tomorrow. We really should be getting to bed. I'll walk you to your room." he said as he helped her up.

"I talked to Peeta Mellark the other day." she said breaking the silence. He wondered why she brought this up now. Peeta was the last person he wanted to hear about now. He went along with it, knowing that if he questioned her about him, it would just lead to another argument.

"In the Justice Building?" he asked confused.

"No, on the phone."

"How?"

She explained to him how she saw the interview with Peeta and the phone number on the sign. She then detailed how she managed to gain access to a phone.

"What did he have to say?"

"That everyone in District 12 is proud of us, and are hopeful that we actually have a shot this year."

"Good." Gale said simply. "What else did you talk about?"

"Lots of things. He told me to tell you that he is bringing bread to both our families."

"Of course he is." Gale said. For as much as Gale wanted to dislike Peeta, he couldn't. Peeta was just too nice a guy. He hated him for this. No wonder Katniss liked Peeta and not him. With Peeta competing for Katniss's affections, Gale knew he would never win. She would only see him as a friend.

"He's a good guy." Katniss said quietly.

"Yes, he is. Well, I'll see you tomorrow." Gale said as they stood in front of her door.

"Do you want to come in?" she asked. He exhaled and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I'm tired, Katniss." he said. '_What's the use? Nothing is going to happen._'

"You could spend the night with me." she offered.

"What happened to self-reliance?" he asked leaning on the doorway. He watched as her eyes darted to the ground. What was she thinking? Why, all of a sudden, did she change her mind about their sleeping arrangement? He asked her, for the second time that night, what was on her mind.

"I just wanted to spend time with you before…" she trailed off, unable to finish. She still couldn't look him in the eyes.

Gale could feel a pain in his chest. He thought about how much the Games had changed her already. She never smiled, at least not wherever he was around. He could only imagine how bad it would be when all of it was over. He needed to stop thinking selfishly about his desire for her. She needed her best friend. He stepped closer to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Will it really make things better if I stay?" Gale asked.

"Yes." she said.

"Then how can I say no?" he said. He led her into her room and pulled back the covers and tucked her in. He walked around to the other side of the bed and joined her. She rolled over and curled up next to him. He didn't say anything as not to upset her. Gale knew he wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight. He thought about tomorrow, about the interview, the plan, and the surprise he had planned for her.

* * *

**It's almost time for The Hunger Games to begin! Can't wait to start writing those chapters! :)**


	13. The Preparations

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story so far! I am so glad you are enjoying it! I've been very busy this week but decided to write another chapter so you wouldn't have to wait too long to find out what happens next ;)**

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or any of its characters.

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Chapter 13

Katniss woke up the next morning surprised to find Gale still next to her. She thought for sure he'd slip out after she fell asleep. That why she nestled up to him…so he couldn't leave undetected. Even though he agreed to stay with her, for some reason, he felt distant. Still, as he slept, he looked exhausted. She wondered how long he waited for her to fall asleep. She got out of bed, leaving him to continue to rest. She grabbed some clothes from her dresser and went into the bathroom. She emerged, showered and dressed. She stood in front of the mirror and started to slowly braid her hair. As she did, she started humming an old lullaby her father used to sing to her when she was young. She wondered if she could still remember all the words. Before she started, she turned around to Gale. He was still sleeping. She sat on the wide ledge of the oversized window, looked out to the city and started her song. She was amazed at how easily the words came back to her, after all those years the song sat dormant in her brain. It's funny how easy it is to remember a song, even if you hadn't heard it in forever. Her father always told her that if you ever wanted to remember something, put it in a song. Her head was full of songs of information that no one but her would recognize.

When she finished, she felt a smile grow on her face. It wasn't as hard as she thought it would be. She had been more anxious about the thought of singing than she was of actually singing the words out loud. Peeta was right; all she needed to do was to take small steps. Maybe one day she would be able to sing in front of a group of people. She wished she could call him right now and tell her about what she did.

Katniss turned around and hopped off the ledge. She looked up to find Gale sitting with his back against the headboard with a solemn look on his face.

"I didn't realize you were awake." she said nervously as she sat down next to him.

"I had no idea…that was beautiful." he stammered. She had never known Gale to be at a loss for words before.

"Gale, you've heard me sing before." she replied, shrugging it off.

"No, I haven't."

She realized he was correct. She didn't know Gale while her father was still living and she hadn't sung a note since his death. It's hard to think that he had only been her friend for 5 years; she felt like she has known him for her whole life. He was such a part of her life in the recent years.

"It makes me wonder what other talents you've been hiding from the world."

"It's just singing, Gale."

"Singing can be a powerful thing, the way it carries the message of a song. It commands attention. Why do you think there are so many banned songs in Panem? They are afraid of what those songs might do to the people who live here…what feelings they might stir up."

What he said made sense. She remembered learning songs from her father that he told her were never to be sung outside their house. They were beautiful songs of hope and freedom and things the Capitol did not want the citizens of Panem to feel. The Capitol replaced them with songs reflecting the values and feelings they felt were important.

"Yeah, you're right."

"Will you sing me something else?" he asked.

"Not now. We need to get to breakfast anyway. I'm sure Haymitch and Effie have a lot to discuss with us." she said dodging his request.

"I'll meet you there. I'm going to get ready." he said. They both got out of her bed and exited her room. Katniss found Haymitch and Effie already at the table in the dining room.

"There's our star." Haymitch said raising his glass. This was a turnaround from last night. Maybe he got so drunk last night, he forgot the stunt she pulled in the training center.

"Where is Gale?" Effie asked.

"He will be here in 5 minutes."

"I don't understand how you people can run behind schedule…do you ever get anything done?" Effie said.

Katniss ignored her insult. It wasn't worth getting into a row with Effie Trinket. They waited to discuss the schedule until Gale arrived. It wasn't long before he was sitting with them.

"As you know, this evening is the interviews. You will work with Effie on presentation and with me on content. You have to shine tonight. This is the last impression you will give to the audience and sponsors before you are in the arena." Haymitch started. Katniss blocked out the rest to the dialogue between him and Effie. She nodded her head every now and then to make it appear as if she was listening, but her mind was thinking of other things. Katniss went with Effie first and Gale went with Haymitch.

Katniss was surprised how many things she had to do for the presentation session. Effie had no problem listing the problem areas Katniss had.

"No slouching!" Effie said. "Did your mother never teach you about proper posture?"

"Is it really that bad?" Katniss contested.

"The worst I've seen." Effie said. She instructed Katniss to slide her rear to the back of the chair and adjusted her shoulders. "There, doesn't that feel better?"

"No." Katniss said. It felt unnatural to sit this way. Effie moved to the next flaw.

"Cross your legs at the ankles. We don't want all of Panem looking up your dress!" Katniss obeyed. "You need to smile more…don't you have anything to be happy about? When I was your age, I was all smiles. Life was such a happy time!"

It took everything Katniss had not to lash out at Effie Trinket. Their lives were so different. As a child of the Capitol, she lived a lavish lifestyle will superficial worries. She never had to think about how she was going to get her meal, or losing a loved one in the Hunger Games. Katniss gritted her teeth as she thought about it.

"Come on, let's try a smile." Effie encouraged her. Katniss gave her best smile, hoping it would shut her up.

"There we go! You know, you actually look quite pretty when you smile." she said. Katniss was surprised that Effie actually paid her a compliment. This was something that Effie never did. She was the type of person who expected compliments but rarely gave them out.

* * *

After hours of Effie helping Katniss with everything from walking in heels to practicing her laugh, it was time to meet with Haymitch. She wished she could skip this session. She knew he wouldn't be forgiving. She could only hope he could help her with her public speaking skills. She went inside the lounge and sat in a chair across from him. Katniss sat for a couple minutes of uncomfortable silence, which she decided to end.  
"So…" she started. She stopped speaking when he held up his index finger. He was quiet for another minute before he began to speak.

"I'm trying to figure out what to do with you." he said.

"What do you mean?" she asked, not following him.

"We need to play up a quality or characteristic about you. So far I cannot think of anything that defines you."

"What angle did you go for with Gale?" Katniss asked.

"You'll see tonight."

"What have you ruled out so far?" she asked.

"Happy, flirty, mysterious, fierce, sexy, likeable, humorous."

That sounded like a lot to Katniss; what else was their left to choose?

"Well I guess I'll just start asking you some questions and we will see if anything pans out."

Haymitch started asking a list of questions that he thinks will be possibly asked during the interview by Caesar Flickerman. Katniss could see he was not impressed with the answers she gave him. He took a gulp from his flask after each answer.

"That's all you got?" he asks.

"It's the best I can do!" Katniss said desperately.

"Well I guess the best I can do is wish you good luck." he says standing up and extending his hand to shake hers.

"That's it?" she asked fearfully as she stood up but doesn't shake his hand. He stands with his arms crossed as if he if racking his brain for a solution. She could only imagine how desperate she looked. She watched as a spark came to his eyes.

"Innocent." he says.

"Innocent?" Katniss asks, repeating him.

"Yes. That look you just gave. Maybe the audience will forgive you for your bland answers if they see that."  
"What look?"

"The one you just gave, kind of scared but also hopeful. It was pretty compelling."

"How am I suppose to do it if I can't remember what it looks like." she protested. Haymitch grabbed her arm and led her to a mirror. It took her a good 15 minutes before she could replicate 'the look'.

"There you go. Use that. And talk about your sister a lot. People enjoy a good sob story. Well, I think we're done."

Effie, Haymitch, Gale, and Katniss met up in the dining room for a late lunch. Much of the conversation had tips and advice for the interviews strung through it. When they were finished eating, Katniss met with Cinna and her prep team to start getting ready. Cinna gave the prep team instructions, and then he left the room to make some last minute adjustment to her dress.

After she was scrubbed clean, she sat in a chair and Flavius started with her hair while Venia painted her toenails. She wondered what changes Cinna had to make to her dress. Haymitch probably consulted with him to tell him about the whole 'innocent' angle. She imagined what it would look like. It would probably be white and flowy with clean lines. Whatever it looked like, she was sure it would look amazing.

It didn't take as long for the prep team to get her ready as she thought it would. After an hour, she met with Cinna in a dressing room. He inspected the prep team's work and then walked to the garment bag that hung from a rack. As he unzipped it, Katniss was shocked to see the red fabric spilling out from the bag. How was she supposed to look innocent in a red dress? Didn't Haymitch tell Cinna about the plan? Cinna noticed her expression.

"Something wrong?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"I just wasn't expecting it to be red."

"But you are the girl who is on fire." he said as he grasped her shoulders.

"Haymitch didn't talk to you?" Katniss asked.

"No." Cinna said. He could see the worry on her face. "What's going on?"

"Well, for the interview, he wanted to play up the 'innocent' angle since I am a horrible interviewee. I can't act innocent in a red dress!"

"I wouldn't say you are innocent. You did shoot an arrow right at the Gamekeepers. You always seemed fiery to me. I know you can pull this off."

"Haymitch doesn't seem to think so."

"Who cares about Haymitch…maybe he's the problem. Go out there are pretend like you are talking to a friend. Impress people like you impressed them at the opening ceremonies."

"I didn't have to speak then."

"You still captivated their attention."

"No, the fire did that."

"I saw the footage. You were quite appealing. Maybe you'll feel something once you have the dress on." Cinna suggested as he took the dress off the hanger.

Katniss ran her hands down the fabric and embellishments.

"It's beautiful, Cinna. I am sorry. I hope you didn't think I disliked it. It was just unexpected."

"Well I'm glad you like it. Now, let's put it on you."

Katniss stepped into the dress and Cinna zipped up the back of it. It fit her perfectly, of course. Cinna had impeccable tailoring. It was one shouldered and the fabric was gathered in swirling patterns. At the bottom of the dress, it flared out. Katniss leaned on Cinna's shoulder as he helped her with her heels. She was lucky they weren't as high as the ones she used when she practiced with Effie. He took her hand and led her to the full-length mirror. Katniss was speechless. Once again, Cinna had nailed it.

"I knew you could pull it off." Cinna said with a smile. "Go out there and show Panem that this is who you really are."

"Ok, I will." she said as she nodded her head.

"I'll be in the audience. If you get nervous, just look for me and pretend like it's just you and me. Forget about all the other faces."  
"Thanks." she said giving Cinna a hug.

"You're going to do great Katniss." he said returning the hug.

* * *

**Katniss is singing again and it's almost interview time...yay! :)**


	14. The Interviews

**Here is a nice, long chapter to end the weekend with! Hope you enjoy it...lots of good Gale and Katniss moments ;)**

* * *

Chapter 14

Gale waited with Effie and Haymitch for Katniss by the elevator. He was glad there were chairs in the lobby because they had to wait a considerable amount of time. He supposed it took all the girl tributes this long to get ready. There was so much to do with them. He could hear her approaching as her heels clicked on the marble floors. He couldn't believe his eyes. He had never seen her this dressed up before. She looked radiant. It took him a minute before he could stand up. He was too busy, staring in awe. Haymitch's words broke his daze.

"Time to go to the main lobby." he said.

"Can Katniss and I ride down to the lobby by ourselves?" Gale asked. He watched as Haymitch thought about this.

"I guess so. Maybe you can give her a pep talk." he said. Gale pushed the button and soon an empty elevator opened for them. He extended a bent arm and her arm interlocked with his. They entered the elevator and he hit the Main Lobby button. He hoped no one else would join the ride on the way down.

"Look at us, Katniss." he said as he smiled at their reflection on the mirrored panels inside the elevator.

"We look so grown up." she said looking at him in the mirror.

"We've come a long away from the Seam." he said as he turned to look at her. She faced him as well.

"It looks like Portia and Cinna decided to keep us coordinated." she said as she ran her fingers over his red silk cummerbund. This sent a spark through his body and he felt his heart start to race. She was so close to him. What would she do if he tried to kiss her right there? Would she allow it? She interrupted his thoughts.

"What's your angle? Haymitch wouldn't tell me."

"Charming."

"That shouldn't be too hard for you." she said as she straightened his bow tie.

'_What is that supposed to mean? Is she trying to drop a hint? And why is she being all touchy feely now? She never acted like this.'_ he thought. He realized she was waiting for him to say something.

"What makes you say that?" Gale asked.

"All the girls from District 12 are in love with you…why shouldn't the ones from the Capitol be the same?"

"Not all of them." Gale said flatly. She didn't like him.

"You know what I mean, Gale. You were often the topic of lunchroom gossip at school."

"I thought you were above that."

"I was, but I could hear the other girls' conversations. They all wanted you."

"You think the Capitol girls have the same taste?"

"They are attracted to pretty things."

"Did you just call me pretty?" he asked with a laugh.

"You know what I mean." she said tapping his arm with her elbow. "They will like you."

Just then, the doors opened to the lobby. Gale wished their banter in the elevator could have continued but Katniss got all serious when she saw Haymitch and Effie waiting for them. Haymitch told them to wait in the lobby until they were instructed to line up. Effie and him had to meet with the other mentors and escorts. Gale took Katniss to a secluded section of the lobby and then sat on a small couch so they could continue their conversation.

"You never told me your angle." Gale said. He wondered what Haymitch chose for her.

"I don't really have one now."

"What do you mean? You have to."

"Well it's not very fitting now. I'm sure Haymitch is going to have a fit with Cinna."

"Why? What did he choose?" Gale asked curious.

"Innocent."

"I could see why he might be angry with Cinna." Gale said as he looked at her red dress. "And I wouldn't exactly say you are innocent."

She shot him a sideways glance.

"What makes you say that?" she asked. He leaned in closer to her.

"Well for one thing, you hunt illegally on Capitol property." he whispered in her ear.

"Only because I have to." she responded.

"You're telling me you wouldn't do it just for fun?" he asked.

"I never really thought about that." she asked. "Would you?"

"Only if you came with me."

"Really?"

"Yes, I have fun with you…plus it's like a tradition. Do you think you'll do it after the Games?" he asked.

"I don't know. It might be too hard." she said looking down. Gale held her right hand. He searched for something to say but there were no words of comfort he could say. They heard someone call for all the tributes and they took their place at the back of the line, with Katniss in front of Gale. As they waited to enter onto the stage, Gale could tell that Katniss was nervous. She was slightly shaking. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind her.

"You are going to be amazing." he whispered in her ear.

* * *

(Katniss POV)

Katniss jumped she felt Gale press his body against hers. She wasn't expecting that.

"I wish we didn't have to go last."

"It will be good. We can pick up tips based on the other interviews. In an hour and a half, this will all be over."

Gale released her when the line started to move. Katniss couldn't believe her eyes when she walked out onto the stage constructed in front of the Training Center. As far as the eye could see, there were Capitol citizens sitting in tiers of seats around the square. The square was lit up with bright lights and camera crews were strategically set up around the stage. She took her seat, and shortly after, Caesar Flickerman called the first tribute to the chair next to him.

Katniss sat through each interview, keeping herself calm. When the boy from 11 went up for his interview, Gale leaned towards her.

"It too bad you can't sing your answers." he joked.

"I don't think I could right now if I tried."

"Why not? You sounded good."

"I have a long way to go before I start singing in public." she said. She heard the crowd applauding and then she heard Caesar call her name. She carefully made her way to the front of the stage and shook his outstretched hand. They sat down together and Caesar got right to business. Before Caesar started his first question, Katniss found Cinna in the stands in front of her. He smiled and nodded while giving her a thumbs-up.

"So, Katniss, you wowed us with your opening ceremony costume, and then surprised us by receiving the highest score in training. What else have you got up your sleeve?"

"Well, I don't want to give away any secrets, but I think I will definitely impress everyone once I'm in the arena."

"Oh, sounds like we have a lot to look forward to. What else?" he asked leaning forward a little.

"The people of Panem should know that District 12 is a force to reckon with. Don't count us out of the running."

"I like the fire in your spirit. Speaking of fire, what did you first think when your stylist told you he was going to light you on fire?"

"I was scared that I was going to be burnt to a crisp before I even got out onto the street. I trusted that Cinna knew what he was doing and everything turned out marvelously. I feel so privileged that I got to wear that costume."

"I guess you picked a good year to be in the Games." Caesar joked. The audience laughed. "Do you have any more fire for us?"

Katniss saw Cinna eagerly nodding and making a circle with his index finger. He wanted her to twirl.

"Well let's see." Katniss said enthusiastically as she stood up. She was surprised when she saw the bottom of her gown light up with flames as she spun around. She couldn't see much when she was spinning but she could make out Caesar's fluorescent white smile and arched blue eyebrows through the blur. She could hear the roaring applause and chants of her name from the audience. She spun for about a half a minute, using up some of her interview time.

"Oh, that's enough, I'm getting dizzy." she said putting a hand up to her head.

"That was fantastic!" Caesar said.

"Thank you. You know there is a reason behind the fire." she said.

"Really, what's that?" Caesar asked leaning forward once again.

"It's a nickname that Cinna, my stylist, created for me. I am the girl who was on fire." Katniss said sly.

"The girl who was on fire…I love it. I have one last question to ask you Katniss. We all know that you volunteered in the Reaping for you sister; what was going through your mind when her name was called?"

"I couldn't believe it. It felt like a bad dream. Her name was only on one slip of paper in the Reaping bowl, and I thought she was safe. I knew what I had to do; I had to protect her. My little sister means the world to me and I would never let anyone bring her harm." Katniss said with tears building up in her eyes. This seemed to gain her sympathy from the audience who were now blotting their eyes with handkerchief and placing their hand over their hearts.

"Is there anything you would like to tell her now?" Caesar asked. Even Caesar wanted to hear more.

"Prim, I love you and I will be coming home when all of this is over with."

As soon as she finished, the chime sounded, noting that her time was up. She was relieved Caesar couldn't ask her any more questions about Prim. She knew the waterworks would have come out.

"Thank you Katniss." he said as the stood up. He then shouted, "Let's hear it for the Girl on Fire!" The audience response was monumental. It had to have been the loudest applause of the night. Cinna was standing as he applauded and others joined in with him. Katniss gave a curtsy and bowed her head to show appreciation. She then returned to her seat. Gale leaned over and quickly said, "All that worrying for nothing." He then stood up at the sound of his name. He got a considerable amount of applause, especially from the female citizens. Katniss was sure that if they weren't sitting, some of the girls in the audience would have fainted. Gale had that effect of women. He kind of reminded her of Finnick Odair, the tribute turned mentor from District 4. He wasn't as good-looking as Finnick (no one was) but he had the charm to make up for it. If he played his cards right during the interview, he would have sponsors lining up by the dozens.

"Now Gale, I think the burning question on everyone's mind is why you volunteered for Peeta Mellark? How are you connected to him?"

"I have no connection to him. I volunteered to protect my best friend." he said sincerely.

"I am assuming you are talking about your fellow tribute, Katniss Everdeen."

"Yes I am."

"And you are aware that her survival means your death?" Caesar says gravely.

"If I can get her back to District 12 and her family, I will have done my job." he responded. Katniss looked into the audience and could see the look of concern on their faces. It appeared as if the audience was actually worried about his predicament.

"Well it takes a brave person to do something like that. Moving on, what has been your favorite thing about the Capitol so far?" Caesar said trying to elevate the mood.

"You know what, Caesar, it's hard for me to choose just one thing. All my life, I had only seen the Capitol on a television screen, so I was enamored when I got to see it with my own eyes. Everything is so grand and marvelous, and people are so lovely. I only wish I could extend my stay to discover more of what this fine city has to offer." Gale said with a light in his eyes and a big smile.

'_There it is…the charm._' she thought. She wondered if Gale had fabricated that answer beforehand or if he was just speaking off the cuff. Either way, the audience seemed to be eating it up. Katniss heard two girls shout out, "Do you have a girlfriend?" following the pause after Gale's answer. Gale smiled, ran his fingers through his hair, and looked at the ground. A few cheers spread through the audience, encouraging an answer from Gale.

"Well, it looks as though we have a pressing question from the audience. Is there a special someone in District 12?" Caesar asked eagerly.

"No there isn't, Caesar, but I guess you could say I'm still searching for that special someone." Gale said with a wink. He nailed it. You could hear the women of Capitol let out gasps and squeals of joy at his answer. Katniss guessed that they hoped he would make it out of the Games alive. Then, they could all fight over who gets to be with him. The chime went off signaling the end of the interview.

"Well, Gale, I wish you luck in all of your endeavors…whatever they might be. Gale Hawthorne, everyone!" Caesar said as he presented Gale for the final time. Gale strutted his way back to his seat. Everyone stood for the anthem, and the show was over. The tributes were filed back into the Training Center. Effie and Haymitch met them inside.

"Oh, that was excellent!" Effie said clutching her handkerchief with both hands. Katniss looked to Haymitch for his opinion.

"Not bad, I think I might be able to work with this. You are bound to get some sponsors from the Capitol. The two of you are dismissed for the evening. Try not to stay up too late, it's an early day tomorrow."  
While everyone else lingered in the lobby, Katniss and Gale made their way to the elevators. As soon as the doors closed, she hugged Gale. He returned the embrace.

"We did it!" Katniss said happily.

"You were great out there. They loved you." he responded.

"So were you…very charming."

"Did you like that Capitol answer?" he asked with a smirk.

"I don't know how you came up with it but it was brilliant. You had the whole audience wrapped around your finger. We are sure to get sponsors now."

The doors opened to floor 12. They still remained in their embrace, just looking at each other and smiling.

"We should probably get off." Gale said.

"I wish we could just stay this happy forever." Katniss said ignoring his comment.

"Me too. We could try to make as many happy memories as possible."

"Like how?" she asked interested.

"Like this one!" he said sweeping her legs up in his arm. She let out a squeal of surprise. He carried her outside of the elevator and started spinning her.

"Gale, my dress!" Katniss shouted. He laughed at her reaction. The bottom of her dress burst into flames. A smile appeared on her face and she joined in with his laughter. The faster he spun her, the greater the flames became. Smoke even started rising in the lobby. After a few minutes, the smoke alarm went off, sending a shower of water in the lobby. Gale put her down.

"Haymitch will not be pleased." Gale said with a smirk. Katniss smiled. "Come on, let's get changed. I have a something to show you."

They went to their own rooms, showered, and put on some more comfortable clothes. They met back at the elevators. The floors were dried…someone must have mopped up the water.

"Where are we going?" Katniss asked.

"You'll see." Gale said pushing the highest button marked RT. When the doors opened, she saw they were on the roof. He took her hand and led her to a garden with hedges and flowers, and lights strung in the air. There was a cabana with lots of large pillows on it.

"How did you find out about this?" Katniss asked.

"Haymitch showed me."

"He didn't show me." Katniss said jealous.

"He only showed me when I asked for a place to escape. Let's sit down." he said. They laid on the cabana. Katniss looked up at the stars. They weren't as bright as they were in the Seam because of the light pollution, but she could still make out some constellations.

"So what is the plan for tomorrow…you said you had one." she said, reminding him. She turned on her side to face him.

"I thought of a plan about how we can meet up with each other once we are in the arena."

"How?" she asked curious.

"You know how they have the tributes start in a circle around the Cornucopia?" She nodded. "Well, we probably won't be able to see each other. When the gong goes off, I want you to find something, anything around you, put it on your launch pad, turn around, and run until you get to somewhere you are hidden. Once I find your launch pad, I'll follow the trail."

"That sounds dangerous."

"I'll be fine, Katniss. I'm not going to stick around there too long. Plus, they usually put the tributes directly across from each other. It shouldn't be too hard for me to figure out which way you went."

"Just be careful."

"I will." he promised.

"What do you think the arena will be like this year?" Katniss asked him.

"Hopefully something familiar. A forest with some kind of water source."

"I doubt they would make it that easy."

"You know the Gamemakers, though. They always throw in twists and traps."

"Yeah." Katniss said quietly.

"Katniss, there is something else I want to talk to you about." he said with a serious tone. Katniss had grown to hate the serious conversations they had lately. They usually just let to arguments. "It's about Peeta Mellark."

"What?" she asked confused.

"Just listen. I think he would be good for you."

"Gale, why are you saying this?" she asked exasperated.

"Because you are going to need someone when you get back and I know you like him."

"I like him?" Katniss asked. However did he come up with that? She never declared any sort of feelings for Peeta to him. What evidence was he going on?

"I've seen the way you look at him." he said.

"It's not like that Gale. I only look at him because he's always staring at me."

"He could protect you. You're going to need someone once I'm gone."

"I'm strong." Katniss said defensively.

"I'm not saying you aren't. You are probably the strongest person I know. The Games mess people up, even the most balanced person. Annie Crestia went mad; Haymitch is an alcoholic. I just don't want you turning into someone like that. I think Peeta could help you when you get back."

Katniss was silent. She didn't know what to say without starting an argument. A question popped into her head.

"Why him, Gale?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why does it have to be Peeta?"

"Well, for starters, he is probably the kindest, most patient guy in District 12 and I think you will need it. And he likes you."

"Yeah I know. He basically told me that right before I left the Justice Building."

"He got to talk to you after he punched me. How did he manage that?" Gale asked raising an eyebrow.

"He can be pretty convincing."

"Yeah, I guess you are right. You know, Katniss, even if we were never in the Games, things would change."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, not sure where he was going with this.

"We can't be best friends forever."

"Why not?" she asked.

"I'd find someone and you'd find someone and we would build our own lives. I don't think your husband would want you sneaking off to hunt in the woods with another man. He might get suspicious."

"Well I wouldn't want to be with someone who was like that." she retorted. Gale chuckled.

"You've never been in love. You will understand one day."

"Understand what?" she asked.

"You'd be so in love with him, you'd forget about me."

"No Gale! I could never forget about you." she said in a raised voice. How could he ever say something so absurd?

"You will."

"What about that time you fell in love? You didn't stop hanging out with me."

"That was different." he said curtly.

"How?" she demanded.

"It just was." he said, hoping she would pry for a better reason.

"You'll always be my best friend." she said. Katniss could feel the tears building in her eyes. She sat up to avoid his gaze but he followed her lead. Katniss then cupped her hands around her face so Gale couldn't see her tears. She wanted to remain strong in front of him. After all, it was he that would have to die.

"Katniss." Gale said upset. He gently took her wrists and lowered her hands. "What's wrong?"

"You already know."

"It's going to be ok."

"No, that's the thing, it's not going to be ok, Gale."

"You're going to survive."

"You know that is not what I'm worried about." she said looking down.

"This is the way it has to be." Gale said brushing a tear from her cheek.

"What are you really feeling?" she asked looking at him. For the first time since their arrival at the Capitol, she saw fear on his face. She saw him open his mouth to speak but no words could come out. She could see the tears forming in his eyes. She knelt next to him and wrapped her arms around him. Gale buried his face into the side of her neck.

"Gale." she whispered as she stroked the hair on the back of his head. She didn't expect him to respond, she just wanted to let him know that she was there for him. She could feel his tears moisten her skin.

"I'm sorry." he whimpered.

"What do you have to be sorry for?" He let go of his embrace and looked at her.

"I'm sorry I've made you worry so much about me."

"You never should have volunteered. I would have had you to come home to."

"Would it have been any easier knowing that Peeta would be the one that would have to die?" Gale asked.

"Gale, I barely know him."

"But you would have gotten to know him." Gale said. Katniss had never thought about this. She didn't have time to think of the alternate version of her fate. Would Peeta try to protect her in the arena or would he have worried about himself? Why would you protect someone you only watched from afar? He did save her life once before, but his own life wasn't at stake.

"Hypotheticals aren't going to solve the mess we are in." Katniss finally said.

"I couldn't just stay at home and watch through the screen at what was happening to you. Do you know how frustrating it would have been…watching but not being able to help you."

"You'd still be alive, though."

"I'm strong. I can help you."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Katniss said in a hushed tone.

"What are you afraid of?" he asked unable to read her.

"What if it's just the two of us left?" she asked with a look of concern.

"I wouldn't make you kill me, Katniss." he said with a smirk, trying to brush off the subject. It was the same expression he gave to an answer to her when they were eating berries before the Reaping.

"So you would do it?"

"Well, I don't see how else it would happen."

"How could you though?"

"I'm sure I could figure out a quick way to finish myself off. And you wouldn't be there to see it. You don't actually think I'd let you witness that, do you?"

"No." she said shaking her head.

"If it comes down to that, I want you to promise me that you will never watch the footage." Katniss sat silently thinking about it. He grew impatient with her lack of an answer. "Katniss, promise me."

"No." she said stubbornly.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to spend the rest of my life inventing ways that you died. I won't be with you when it happens, but I have a right to know when I get back."

"I guess there is no convincing you." Gale said as he exhaled. She shook her head. "We should probably get downstairs."

"Can we sleep up here tonight?" she asked.

"If you really want to, then yes." he said lying down. Katniss did the same. The conversation ceased between them. They both knew how important tomorrow was going to be and that they needed their rest. They quickly fell asleep under the night sky of the Capitol.

* * *

**How did you like the Interviews? I hope I did Caesar justice (love him!). Almost Games time :)**


	15. Launch Day

**Hello everyone! Looks like lots of readers thought something was going to happen on the roof...sorry, you will have to wait a little longer before Gale confesses his love for Katniss ;) This is the last chapter before The Hunger Games begin. Enjoy!**

****Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games, or any of its characters.

* * *

Chapter 15

Gale woke up as the sun rose in the sky of the Capitol. He had always had trouble staying asleep in bright places. He looked over at Katniss, who was resting peacefully. Judging by her current condition, her sleep had not been a restful one. Her hair looked as though it had been teased with a brush, causing pieces to be set loose from her braid and her shirt had bunched up, exposing some of her abdomen. Despite her appearance, she still looked beautiful to Gale. He slowly scooted closer to her and laid next to her. He wrapped one arm around her, gently stroking her exposed skin on the side of her hip. He nuzzled his face next to her neck, and gave her a gentle kiss. Maybe if she woke right now, she'd realized his true feelings for her.

He knew this would not be a good thing. Gale knew Katniss did not feel that way towards him. If she had, they would be together by now. He thought about this for a minute. Maybe she did like him, but she was waiting for him to make the first move. Lots of girls in District 12 were like that. She wasn't like most of the girls from District 12, though. Katniss Everdeen would never love him like that. She would always see him as her best friend.

Gale's thoughts were halted when he heard the sound of someone clearing their throat. He sat up quickly to find Haymitch standing about 12 feet from him with his arms crossed. Gale wondered how long he had been there. Haymitch wiggled his finger in a way that meant 'come here'. Gale got out of the cabana carefully and followed Haymitch to another section of the roof.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" Haymitch asked condescendingly.

"About what?" Gale asked.

"About you and her!" Haymitch hissed.

"We are just friends." Gale responded calmly. He hoped Haymitch wouldn't discover that he loved her.

"You both keep saying that, but I am not convinced."

"Well, it's the truth!" Gale shouted. Haymitch was silent for a while and then started to laugh.

"Oh, I get it now. All this time, I thought the two of you were trying to hide this romantic relationship from me. That is not how it is at all. _You_ are the one that's in love with _her_."

"Please, don't tell her." Gale pleaded.

"Even if I did, I would doubt she would believe me."

"I'm serious. I never planned on telling her."

"How long has this been going on?"

"About two years."

"Well, if she hasn't figured it out by now, I doubt she will in the next week or so. Go wake her up and meet me in the dining room. We have some things to discuss before they ship you off to the arena." Haymitch said. He then started walking to the elevators.

* * *

(Katniss POV)

Katniss woke up to the sound of Gale calmly saying her name, over and over until her eyes were opened. She didn't say anything. She only looked at him.

"Haymitch wants to speak with us. He's waiting in the dining room." he said breaking the silence. She nodded her head and they left the rooftop. The journey to Haymitch was a silent one. Both feared if they spoke to one another, they would become too emotional. Haymitch was sitting at the table, already eating breakfast. The two tributes joined him and waited for him to speak.

"Well today is the day. Just thought you might like a little advice. After you are launched and the countdown is complete, I want you to run as fast as you can to get away from the Cornucopia. You can come back for supplies and weapons after the bloodbath is over and the other tributes have scattered. You will also want to find a water source. We wouldn't want you dying from dehydration. Also, don't try to destroy or sabotage anything in the arena. The Gamemakers will think you are undermining them and they will retaliate."

Haymitch gave them some more tips when they popped into his head as they ate breakfast. When they were finished, Katniss and Gale waited in the sitting room for the stylists to arrive. They would accompany the tributes on the plane ride to the arena.

"Are you nervous?" Katniss asked Gale.

"Yeah." he replied. He took her hand and placed it over his heart. She could feel it beating rapidly.

"Me too."

"At least we have each other. Some tributes only have themselves."

"Do you think we will get sponsors?" Katniss asked as she fidgeted with the bottom of her shirt.

"Of course. Between our training scores and interviews, who wouldn't want to sponsor us? Haymitch was looking pretty sober today. Maybe he's actually taking the Games seriously this year." Gale said with a grin. The doors to the lounge opened and Haymitch escorted Portia inside. Katniss was surprised to see two Peacekeepers file in the room as well.

"Gale, it's time." Portia said. Katniss stood up with Gale.

"I'll see you in the arena." Gale said hugging her. Katniss held on to him tightly, not wanting to let go. She didn't realize they would be separated so soon.

"Katniss, you have to let go." Gale said with a laugh. Her grip didn't loosen. "Katniss, really. I've got to go."

"No." she said terrified. A Peacekeeper came over to pry her off of him but she threw an elbow towards him. The second Peacekeeper ran over and jabbed a syringe into her arm. She lost consciousness just before she hit the ground.

* * *

When Katniss regained consciousness, she was sitting next to Cinna in a small compartment on the plane. She guessed that every tribute and stylist had their own similar space. A Peacekeeper guarded the door so she couldn't escape.

"I heard you put up quite a fight." Cinna said with a devilish grin.

"How long have I been out?" Katniss asked.

"About a half hour. We should be there soon." Cinna replied.

Katniss couldn't believe how clear-headed she was despite the fact that she had been drugged. It was a good thing, because she would be in the arena within the hour and couldn't afford anything to impair her senses. As she shifted, she felt a pain in her arm. She faced it upward to see what the cause was. On her forearm, there was a slightly raised bruised. She pushed it with her finger and winced.

"That's your tracker. They administered it while you were out." Cinna informed her. Katniss had forgotten that this was done. This was how the Gamekeepers kept tabs on the tributes.

She wished the windows of the plane hadn't been blacked out. She had never flown in a plane before and was curious what the clouds would look like from above. She felt the plane descend and her fingers dug into the fabric of the armrests.

"It's ok, Katniss; we're landing." Cinna said with a smile. She didn't like the fact that his amusement came at her expense. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. After the plane had come to a halt, they were taken to their respective launch rooms under the arena. The clothing the tributes were to wear in the arena was laid out on a table. After she had showered, she dressed in her new apparel. She sat on a stool as Cinna crafted her hair into a single braid. When he was finished, she grabbed a bottle of water and slowly sipped its contents as she sat on the couch. Cinna walked over and sat next to her.

"The finishing touch." he said smiling as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the Mockingjay pin.

"Where did you find that?" Katniss said feeling a little relieved. She thought she had lost it at the Remake Center.

"I pulled it off your shirt you wore when you arrived here. This is your District token, right?"

Katniss nodded her head. He affixed it to the shirt under her jacket. She looked at him as he did so. She wondered why Cinna would want to get tangled in the web that is The Hunger Games. He didn't really seem to enjoy them as much as the other Capitol citizens do. She just had to find out.

"Why do you do this?" Katniss sputtered out.

"Pardon me?" Cinna asked politely.

"Why are you a stylist for the Games? You don't even seem to like them."

"You're right, I don't."

"Then why do you do it?"

"You don't expect me to make clothes for the Capitol citizens." he joked.

"I'm serious, Cinna." she said not amused. He scooted a little closer to her. He lowered his voice as he spoke.

"What they do to you…to your districts, it's not right. It's the only thing I can really do to help."

The door suddenly opened and Haymitch entered.

"What are you doing here?" Katniss asked.

"I need to talk to you...alone." Haymitch said as he eyes glanced over at Cinna. Haymitch didn't continue until Cinna left the room.

"He likes you, you know?" Haymitch said as he picked up an unfamiliar object and inspected it.

"I'm sorry, you'll have to be more specific." Katniss said with a witty edge.

"Gale Hawthorne, who do you think I'm talking about?" he said getting in her face.

"No, he's my best friend."

"You think that's enough to stop him. I heard it come straight from his own mouth." he said. There was a silence in the room. Katniss was taking in what he had just said.

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked calmly.

"It's a useful piece of information…might come in handy once you are in there."

"Is that the strategy now?" she asked. She felt her stomach twist into knots. He couldn't possibly make them act like they were in love; no, act like _she_ was in love with him.

"I'm not telling you what to do. He doesn't even know I'm here telling you about this."

"You're not making this up, are you?" she asked still with a little uncertainty.

"Wouldn't dare. Like I said, it's just a useful piece of information. Do whatever you want with it, sweetheart. You know how the Capitol likes a good, old fashioned love story." he said as he exited the room.

Katniss sat in silence. It was bad enough that she would soon be launched into a space with 23 other tributes to fight to the death. The last thing she needed was this new information to cloud her judgment. It didn't make sense to her. There had been no events that led up to this. Gale had never given her a sign that he liked her. Sure, they had spent a lot of time together the past couple years, but there was a purpose. They were hunting to keep their families alive.

The door clicked open and Cinna returned into the room.

"It's almost time." he said. Katniss walked to where he was standing.

"Before I go, I just wanted to tell you…thank you for everything." she said with gratitude.

"It was my pleasure." he said taking her hand. A female voice came over the PA system, alerting the tributes they had 60 seconds to stand on their launch pads.

"Cinna!" she said nervously as she wrapped his arms around him. He reciprocated the hug.

"You'll do great out there. You are the Girl on Fire…don't let them forget that." he said before letting her go. He had to push her a little to initiate her walk to the pad. "I believe in you." Cinna said before the glass enclosed around her. They kept their gaze on each other as she was raised up into the unknown.


	16. Let the Games Begin!

Author's Note: The Games are here! Things will differ from the original book such as when and how each tribute will die. The arena has the same environments in it but the layout of the arena may be different. There also might be some different muttation (or maybe not...haven't really thought about that yet). Either way, I hope you enjoy my version of the Hunger Games with Katniss and Gale. I have lots of great things planned. ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games of any of its characters.

* * *

Chapter 16

It took Katniss a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the brightness of the sunlight above her. The tributes were organized in a circle around the Cornucopia in a large clearing that was surrounded by woods. She could not see Gale from where she was standing. She could see, from a distance, a bow and quiver of arrows hanging from the top of the Cornucopia. She wanted so badly to secure them when the countdown ran out. She remembered the plan though. Throw something on her launch pad and run to safety. She could always come back for her weapons once everyone cleared out…if someone else does not get to them first. The countdown reached 10 seconds. She wished she could see Gale. It would have been nice to get a reassuring look from him.

Before she knew it, the countdown was over and she was free to move. Her hand quickly dug into the earth, pulling a clump of grass out of the ground. She threw it on her pad and darted for the forest, hoping that no one was on her trail. She could hear the fighting behind her, yells of the attackers, clinking of weapons, cries of pain from the wounded. She ran until all she could hear were the sounds of the forest. She climbed about 20 feet into a tree for safety.

"_This is where I'll wait until he shows up…if he shows up._" she thought. The thought of her waiting there for him panicked her. She wouldn't know what she would do if Gale failed to show up. She had nothing to protect herself. She should have grabbed something.

What seemed like an eternity passed and Gale still had not shown up. She wondered what was taking him so long. He wasn't that far behind her. Did he get tangled up in the fighting? Did he try to secure a weapon from the Cornucopia? Did someone attack him? Was he even still alive? All of these questions plagued her mind. She heard a rustling below. It was _him_. She sighed with relief and quickly climbed down the tree.

"Gale!" she exclaimed as she ran to him, clutching her arms around him. She was shaking. "I thought…"

"It's ok I'm here." he said rubbing her back. "We've got to keep moving." When he pulled away from her, she saw a blood stain on his shirt.

"Gale you're bleeding!" Katniss cried out.

"Katniss I'm fine." he said taking her by the shoulders. "It's not my blood."

"Then whose—"

"I'll explain later." he cut her off. "We have to put distance between us and them. Maybe we can find some water."

Katniss noticed he had a large backpack. She wondered how he managed to secure it and what contents were inside. Gale began walking and Katniss followed. She caught up with him and took his hand. She started thinking about what Haymitch told her and released her grip. It didn't seem so innocent anymore.

"_Thanks a lot, Haymitch._" she thought. She was surprised when he interlocked her hand with his. Gale must have thought that she accidently lost her grip. They walked for about an hour in a straight path. Katniss was shocked that they hadn't reached the end of the arena yet. She never really thought about how big the arenas actually were. She was surprised the Gamemakers even gave them such a vast amount of space to roam around.

"Gale, can we take a break…just for a little." she asked. She hoped he wouldn't snap at her. He looked at her and his face relaxed a little. He must have seen how afraid she had been to ask.

"Ten minutes." he said sitting on a log. She joined him.

"What happened back there?" she asked. He sat in silence, probably deciding which parts he should tell her and which ones he should omit.

"I tried to save her but there were just too many of them." he said rubbing his forehead with his fingers.

"Who?" she asked concerned.

"The young girl from District 11. There were too many Careers around…a whole pack of them. The big guy from District 2, Cato, got her."

This angered Katniss. It wasn't fair. He was so much bigger than her. Then she realized that The Hunger Games as a whole were unfair. "So all six Careers are working together this year?"

"Yes." he replied quietly.

"How did you manage to get out alive?" she questioned. He pulled a knife from his belt.

"Did you _get_ any of them?"

"Yes, nothing fatal though. I was just trying to get them away from her. Looks like they were going for the easiest targets first."

"Who else did they get?"

"The boy from District 10 and the girl from District 3. I wasn't around to see anything else."

"It must still be going on if we haven't heard the cannons yet." she said.

"Yeah." he said. They were both silent. Katniss looked around her and her gazed fixed on a small camera lens that was lodged in a tree. She almost forgot that the whole arena was equipped with thousands of cameras. From now on, everything she said or did was fair game for the Gamemakers to broadcast.

"We should probably be going, Katniss." he said gently. He helped her up and they continued walking. They remained silent for a good two hours as they weaved through the forest. Katniss already felt thirsty. She couldn't wait to reach water. She came to a halt when she heard the cannons sound. She counted the number on her fingers. There were 6 shots total. One quarter of the tributes had died in the bloodbath. She was sure that all the Careers were still alive. Sooner or later, they would come after her and Gale. She hoped Gale and her would be strong enough to defeat them.

"Come on Katniss, let's find somewhere to set up camp for the night." Gale said. They found a little space between a group of bushes. They could easily blend in there. Katniss was at least thankful that their clothing blended in with their environment. One year, the Gamemakers put the tributes in neon clothing with reflective patches. Gale rummaged through the backpack and produced a bright yellow sleeping bag. Katniss noticed the inside of it was black. Gale must have noticed it too because he unzipped it and laid it down. At least they would have a little bit of cushioning above the solid ground.

He unpacked the rest of the backpack to see what it contained. Inside was: a watch, a small first aid kit, an empty water bottle, a bundle of wire, a lighter, a water treatment kit, a small flashlight, a pocketknife, a small loaf of bread, and a spare shirt. Gale looked pleased with the contents. He packed up everything but the wire.

"I'm going to set a few snares." he said.

"No." Katniss said grabbing his wrist.

"I won't go far." he promised.

"Just come back soon." was all she could say. He disappeared into the woods. Katniss leaned against a nearby tree trunk and stayed as still as she could. She hoped that none of the other tributes had been lurking behind them, waiting to attack. Now would be the perfect time to take her out.

She thought about what Haymitch had told her earlier…about Gale's feelings for her. She wondered if there were any incidents where he might reveal how he felt. Maybe if he was critically wounded or even just had a brush with death. Maybe it could be something as simple as the right moment presenting itself. All she knew was that she would not initiate any sort of conversation or action on the matter. She wouldn't use the knowledge of his affections unless in dire need.

She still didn't understand how he could push the idea of her and Peeta Mellark on her. Why would he want her to end up with anyone other than him? Katniss jumped when Gale reappeared. She studied his demeanor. His lighthearted disposition had been replaced with a sullen, somber expression. He was serious about protecting her. She didn't want this right now though. She wanted him to easy the tension, to make her laugh like only he could do.

"You should probably get some sleep." he said.

"Not before the Anthem." she said. She wanted to see the outcome of the day's events. He remained silent but nodded his head. Katniss couldn't take it anymore. She hated this new side of him. She felt like yelling at him to snap out of it but she figured that wouldn't be a good approach. "What's wrong?"

"Seeing what I saw today made me realize what we are up against. I can't let that happen to you." he said with a shaky voice. If there was any doubt about his feelings for her, it was gone after that statement. She wondered if the audience at home picked up on it.

"I've never seen you this serious before." she said.

"Well, given the circumstances…" he trailed off.

"I don't like this side of you. You were the one person in District 12 I didn't have to be serious around."

"Well we aren't in District 12, now are we Katniss?" Gale said with bitterness in his voice. Katniss knew this was a time when it was better to just keep her mouth shut. She sat down on the sleeping bag and looked up at the sky, waiting for the pictures of the dead tributes to appear. He sat down next to her.

"I'm sorry." he apologized. Katniss didn't break her stare and remained silent. She didn't feel like talking to him at that moment. A minute later, the Anthem played. One by one the faces and names of the deceased appeared. Afterwards, the names and pictures of the remaining tributes were side by side in the sky. Katniss's eyes went straight to Cato, the boy tribute from District 2. He even looked like a jerk in the photo. If she ever came across him in the arena, she would go in for the kill.

When the sky went dark, Gale suggested they take turns keeping guard, and volunteered to take first watch. Katniss laid down on top on the sleeping bag. She took off her jacket and used it as a blanket. She was happy to be getting some sleep. She hoped that her dreams would be happy ones that would make her forget about the dark times to come.


	17. In the Arena

Enjoy reading this super long chapter! Btw, things might be a little dark, but it's the Hunger Games...what do you expect! ;)

* * *

Chapter 17

By the time Katniss had woken up, it was already midday. She was confused why Gale let her sleep as long as he did; surely it was her turn to keep watch. She sat up and found a sleeping Gale with his back propped up against the tree and a knife in his hand. She figured it would be wise to get the knife out of his hand before trying to wake him. She gently grabbed the edge of the handle and started to pull it away from him. In a split second, she found herself slammed to the ground with a knife against her throat. Katniss had never felt more afraid in her life. His eyes went wide when he realized what he was doing.

"Katniss, what the hell?" he exclaimed as he stood up and dropped the knife. He ran both hands through his hair.

"I was just trying to wake you." she said still shaking.

"Never do that again!" he said pacing around. "I could have…"

He didn't say it but she knew what words he couldn't bear to speak. She noticed his hands were shaking as he picked up the knife and placed it between his belt and his pants.

"It's ok, I know you didn't mean to." Katniss said. She enclosed one of his hands between both of hers to try to calm him. "You know there is only so much you can do to protect me."

"If you were to die in here, I don't think I could live with myself." he said quietly. She instructed him to sit down. He did so and she sat across from him.

"If something happens to me in here, you have to keep going."

"Nothing is going to happen to you." he said in denial.

"You don't know that. You know that the Careers will try to attack us."

"And I'll defend you." he said without a doubt.

Katniss exhaled in frustration. There was no way to make him see that she might die in the arena. He was so stubborn that he couldn't even admit it to himself. The conversation had become too serious for only the second day in the arena. Her thoughts were interrupted by a shot of a cannon. Another tribute dead. They both looked at each other gravely.

"We should probably get moving." Gale said. Staying in one place for too long was not a good idea. Someone was bound to run into you. They packed up their things, checked the snares (which were empty), and started walking again.

"I'm so thirsty…are you sure that water bottle is empty?" Katniss asked Gale.

"Yes, I checked it last night. Don't worry we will find water soon." he said.

It had only been one day but Katniss was already feeling the effects of dehydration starting to set in. She had a hard time concentrating and felt lightheaded. It didn't help that the elevation was rising and terrain was becoming rockier. She tripped a few times on the uneven rocks but managed to catch her balance. About ten minutes later, she fell to the side after stepping on a loose stone. Gale rushed to her side.

"I can't do this, Gale."

"You can't give up yet."

"I need water."

"We will find it soon. There has to be a spring or something around here."

"What about the bread…does bread have water in it?" she asked him.

"I don't know…you're asking the wrong guy." he said. She thought about Peeta Mellark. Is that what he meant by that statement? She watched as he took out the loaf of bread, broke off a piece and gave it to her.

"You should have some too." she said.

"No, I'm fine." he replied. She didn't argue with him. The bread did help a little. She didn't feel as dizzy as she felt before. They followed a trail that led downhill, making it easier to walk. After hours of searching, they still couldn't find any source of water. They did find a blackberry bush.

"They are safe, right?" Katniss asked him.

"You're the expert." Gale said.

"I know, what I meant was, I hope Gamemakers didn't tamper with them and make them poisonous."

"Well, there is only one way to find out." Gale said taking a handful and shoving them in his mouth. They waited a few minutes and he was fine. Katniss started eating the blackberries too. When they were full, they moved on, looking for a place to spend the night. As they walked, they could feel the temperature dropping rapidly. They found a little space between the side of a stone mountain and a row of thick evergreen trees.

When the sun had set, it felt like winter. Katniss shivered and her teeth were chattering. The jackets provided some warmth, but not enough for this. She knew this had to be the work of the Gamemakers, punishing them for the low death count for the day. They could manipulate any element of the arena, including the temperature. Katniss watched as Gale took out the sleeping bag and turned it inside out, exposing the black lining.

"You take the sleeping bag tonight." Gale insisted.

"What about you?" she asked.

"I'll be fine." he said resting his head on the backpack. Katniss removed her boots and slinked into the sleeping bag. The Anthem started playing, revealing only one tribute, followed by the remaining tributes. All the Careers had made it through another day. Katniss lay there thinking of ways to defeat the Careers. Eventually the Gamemakers would block off parts of the arena, forcing them into the same vicinity.

Katniss looked over at Gale to check on him. She could see that he was cold. He could probably fit inside the sleeping bag with her. It would be a little cramped, but it was manageable. She knew it was going to take some convincing but she would not let him say no.

"There is enough room in here for you too." Katniss started.

"I'm good." he replied. Katniss reached out and felt his hand.

"Gale, you're freezing." She got out of the sleeping bag and unzipped it. "Here, you get in first."

"Katniss." he exhaled, rolling his eyes.

"I'm not taking no for an answer." she warned him. She stood there with her arms folded, waiting for him to move. She was not going to let him get out of this one. After a few minutes, she saw him take off his boots and climb in the sleeping bag. She zipped up the bag halfway, got inside and then zipped up the remaining space. They both had to lie on their side in order to fit. Katniss position one arm under her head to act as a pillow and the other arm against her chest. They were so close that the back of her forearm was grazing his body. Gale wrapped one of his arms around her waist.

"Is this ok? There isn't that much room left on my side." he said.

"Yes, it's fine." Katniss said. "See isn't this better?" He nodded and smiled as he let out a quick, stifled laugh.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I was just thinking about that time when your mother caught us on your bed." Katniss let out a laugh as well.

"How long ago was that?" she asked.

"You were 13 and I was 15…3 years ago."

"We were only talking."

"All she saw was her little girl laying next to some older boy she had never met before. What would you do if you walked into Prim's room only to find her with a boy lying next to her?"

"I get your point. You're not that much older than me, though."

"Two years is a big difference that that age. We didn't even go to the same school. Your mom sat me down and put me in my place."

"I know, I could hear her shouting at you from my room. She's still a little wary about you, you know?"

"How so?" Gale asked curiously.

"She doesn't seem to think that boys and girls can just be friends."

"Well I think after all those years, we've proved her wrong."

"She's not buying it. She always tells me 'One day you are going to end up marrying that boy.'"

"And what do you say in response?" Gale asked with a smile.

"I usually do an eye roll or sputter out some sarcastic remark."

"I wonder what she would think of this right now." he said with a smirk.

"She's probably thinking her suspicions are right."

"Well, I don't think she has anything to worry about. I'm not going to try anything with you. We're just friends." he said. Katniss was surprised he would say something like this considering his true feelings for her. She hoped her confusion didn't show on her face.

"We should probably yet some rest." Katniss responded.

"You're right. Goodnight, Katniss." he said kissing her forehead, and then closing his eyes. Katniss pretended to fall asleep, but her mind was reeling. Why did he do that? It's bad enough they had to share a sleeping bag, but now all of District 12 probably thinks that something is going on between them.

* * *

Katniss woke up to the bright sunlight filtering through the trees. It took her a while to get to sleep the previous night but once she did, there were no interruptions. Gale was still sleeping, of course. She didn't dare try to wake him for fear of what might happen to her if she did. She didn't want any repeats of what happened yesterday. She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of the forest. It felt so tranquil at the moment. Still, she knew somewhere out there, tributes were hunting each other down to eliminate the field of potential victors.  
She opened her eyes after she recognized the musical tweeting of a mockingjay. She searched the trees above her, trying to locate it. She always loved mockingjays. Whenever she went hunting with her father, they always seemed to follow them. Her father would often sing to them and they would perfectly replicate the melody of the song he had sung. She found one on a branch not too far up and another mockingjay joined the first one. She wondered why the Gamemakers would even bother with putting them into the arena. They didn't really serve any purpose.

Katniss looked back down to Gale when she felt his body shift around a little. Unfortunately, he wasn't waking up yet. She wondered how long she would have to wait for him to wake. Most girls wouldn't mind being in her position, but it was different for her. It's not that she didn't think he was handsome. Gale had conventional good looks that everyone seemed to notice. There just wasn't any attraction there for Katniss, no pull to make her want something more with him. Maybe part of the reason was her prior situation. She could easily hunt without him now and still manage to feed her family, but all those years ago, he was a keystone in their survival. He had taught her so much, and they had built a bond that she never wanted broken.

Gale slowly opened his eyes and gave her a sleepy smile.

"Hey, Catnip." he said with a husky voice.

"Hey, sleepyhead." she said messing up his hair.

"How long have you been awake?" he asked.

"About an hour." she said unzipping the bag and crawling out of it. She sat as she started to put her boots back on.

"You should have woken me up." he said.

"I was afraid what you might have done to me." she said honestly.

"I don't have a knife this time…I think you would have been safe."

"There are other things you could do." she said darkly. She regretted it immediately. The last thing she needed was for him to feel bad about it.

"That was a one time thing…I was caught off-guard." he said in a bothered tone.

"I'm sorry, I don't know why I said that." she muttered.

"We should probably start looking for some water." he said changing the subject. They silently got ready and packed up their things. They started walking again in the forest, away from the mountain. Katniss wondered why Haymitch hadn't sent them water yet…didn't he say that they would get a lot of sponsors? What was he hoarding the money for, when they were so desperate to find something to hydrate them? It felt like they have been traveling for half the day when they spotted something.

"Is that real?" Katniss asked squinting her eyes. She wasn't sure if her mind was playing tricks on her or not.

"Only one way to find out." Gale said with a smile. He took her hand and they ran down a small hill in a meadow to a stream. Katniss thought about how dangerous this was, to run out into the open like that. They would be easy targets for whoever was lurking in the area. When they reached the stream, Katniss cupped the water in her hands and splashed it onto her face. The cool water felt so amazing as it hit her skin. Gale quickly filled up the water bottle and used the water treatment kit to purify it. They waited a few minutes, and he offered Katniss the first drink. They repeated the process of filling the bottle, purifying the water, and drinking it until they felt hydrated. Gale collected some water in the bottle and treated it for later, when they would need it.

Katniss stretched out in the grasses and let the sun warm her skin. It almost felt as if they were back in the meadow at home. Gale lay on his side facing her.

"We shouldn't stay here too long. I'm sure other tributes are looking for this place."

"Just a little longer." she said.

"Where to next?" he asked.

"Actually, there is somewhere I want to go, but I don't think you'll like the idea."

"Where?" he asked.

"I want to go back to the Cornucopia to get the bow and arrows."

"Do you even think they would still be there?" he asked.

"Yes, they were hanging at the top of the Cornucopia. It would take two people to reach it."

"Even if we could, I don't even think we could find our way back there." Gale said.

"The arena isn't that big, Gale. We'd find it eventually."

"Yes, but think about who or what we might run into by trying to get there."

"I need to have something in case you aren't here to protect me."

"That's not going to happen."

"It could. I'm sure the Careers are already thinking of ways to split us up."

"You've got two days to try to find it, ok?"

"Sounds like plenty of time to me." she said with a smile. She stood up and then helped Gale up. They quickly ran to another section of woods to remain concealed. They walked along the edge of the woods so they would be concealed but also so they could see the clearing. They stayed quiet in case there were other tributes close by. Katniss continued walking until she felt Gale put his arm in front of her to stop her. She looked over and saw he had his pointer finger over his mouth. Katniss listened and heard voices approaching.

"Get down!" he whispered as he put the backpack on the ground. They laid down on their stomachs next to each other behind a row of trees. They heard a group of footsteps walking toward the clearing, and listened to the conversation.

"Which way did they go? They can't be too far." Clove said.

"I can't believe Districts 6 and 7 formed an alliance." Cato said laughing. "Do they actually think it will help them outlast us?"

"When we do find them, they won't know what hit them." Glimmer said swinging her sword in the air.

"We'll finish them off and then we will find those tributes from District 12." Marvel said with a smirk.

Katniss glared at them. If she had her bow and arrows right now, she could easily take them out in a few seconds. She noticed that the tributes from District 4 followed in the back, carrying the weapons reserve. She guessed that even among the Careers, there was a hierarchy. Or maybe this was their strategy…wait until the right moment and then take out Districts 1 and 2. The Careers walked to the middle of the meadow and took a look around.

Katniss and Gale scooted around and watched through the grasses beside them. Out of nowhere, charged not four, but six tributes with weapons in hand. Katniss noticed the additions as the male tribute from District 9 and the female tribute from 10.

"Another alliance?" Gale asked in a hushed voice, unable to believe it.

"Have you ever seen this before?" Katniss asked back.

"Never…only the Careers. How did they manage to pull that off?"

"I guess we were too concerned about our own training to notice what was happening around us."

Gale and Katniss watched as the fighting broke out. Katniss was impressed that they other alliance didn't die within a matter of seconds. The boy from 7 charged towards the girl from 4 with an axe but her counterpart managed to deflect it with his mace. Fighting ensued until the tribute from 7 lodged the axe right into the chest of the boy from 4. A cannon shot. He stepped on the dead boy's chest to dislodge the axe and then proceeded to decapitate the girl from 4. Another cannon shot. It was too much for Katniss to handle and she leaned to the side as the vomit escaped her mouth. Gale put his hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, Katniss. We have to run."

"No, we have to see what happens."

"If we stay here, we are as good as dead. They'll be too busy fighting to notice us." he said. She knew he was right. It was a perfect time to escape through the gap in the forest ahead. They would find out the results of the battle that evening. Gale put on the backpack, and they raced for their lives. As terrifying as it was to be running from the scene they just faced, it also felt kind of freeing. She always loved running through the forest in District 12. It felt almost like flying to her. She kept alert, dodging the trees as she went. She looked behind her to see Gale trailing her. She stopped for a few seconds for him to catch up.

"Capitol lifestyle getting to you?" she joked.

"You don't have a fifty pound pack on your back." he sneered. They continued running for another ten minutes and then continued with a brisk walk. They heard three more cannon shots.

"Do you think it's over?" Katniss asked.

"No idea." Gale said.

"What happened back there was horrible." Katniss said sitting on a log. Gale joined her.

"There's still a lot more fighting to come."

"We won't be able to avoid it forever. Eventually they will find us."

"That's why we are going to get you those bows and arrows." Gale said with a grin. "Come on, let's find somewhere to set up camp for the night."

The continued walking but found it difficult to find a place that could conceal them for the night. The space around them was mainly flat ground with trees towering into the sky.

"What should we do?" Gale asked.

"Keep walking until we find somewhere safe."

"We could be walking all night." he said.

"Anywhere has to be better than here." she said, hoping she wouldn't regret those words. Eventually, they reached an area with grasses almost as tall as Katniss. "What about here? At least we'd be covered."

Gale thought for a while. "Could be snake here." he said worried.

"We should have just stayed by the stream. I'm sorry, Gale." she said covering her face with her hands in frustration. She was too exhausted to think of any other option.

"I'm sure we will be fine." he said rubbing her back. "Come on, let's get some sleep." He laid out the sleeping bag and she got inside. The Anthem started playing and the looked up to the sky. Unfortunately, the Careers from Districts 1 and 2 survived the attack. She also saw that the boy from 7 had been killed after they left, along with the boy from 6 and the girl from 10. It was the end of the third day and half of the field of tributes had been eliminated. When the recap was over, she closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.


	18. The Cove

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and added this story to their favorites/story alerts! I'm so happy that you are all enjoying the story so far. Here's another long chapter for you. Hope you like it...a lot happens here.**

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games of any of its characters.

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Chapter 18

Gale woke up to the sound of Katniss's screams. He quickly unzipped the sleeping bag to check for snakes but found nothing. Then he realized she was having a nightmare. They only way he could drown out the sound of her shrieks was to put his hand over her mouth. He tapped her shoulder and whispered her name to wake her but it wasn't enough. He shook her shoulder with a little more force to snap her out of it.

He felt relieved when her eyes opened but then he had to deal with a whole other problem. Her eyes went wide and her shouting persisted as she wriggled her body under his on the ground.

"Katniss, stop!" he said pinning her arms to the ground. He then realized why she was freaking out. She though he was trying to attack her. "Katniss, you were having a nightmare. I am not trying to hurt you!"

Gale released her and sat on the ground feeling defeated. Is this how it was going to be from now on? Would she assume that he was trying to hurt her at any moment? Ever since the Games began, he could feel their relationship slowly deteriorating. Would they even be friends by the end of this? Maybe he wouldn't even need to kill himself…Katniss might turn on him and kill him herself. Gale jumped when he felt her hand on his shoulder. He really just wished she would leave him alone; he wasn't in the mood to talk.

"Go back to sleep, Katniss." he said, still staring at the ground in front of him.

"No." she said as she sat next to him and took his hand in hers. He wasn't sure she said this to be stubborn or because she really cared about him. Maybe it was both.

"I hate it here." was all he could say.

"Me too." she said softly.

"I wasn't trying to hurt you."

"I know…was I really that loud?" she asked. Gale nodded his head. "Do you think anyone heard me?"

"I don't think anyone else is in this area of the arena. Let's try to get some more sleep." he said leading her back to the sleeping bag. Katniss insisted that she get in with her. She looked so worried that he didn't argue. He only hoped that it would help keep the bad dreams away.

Katniss awoke enfolded in Gale's arms. She didn't care about what her mother or anyone District 12 thought about them. It felt comforting and it seemed to keep away the bad dreams. She gently woke up Gale. They had a long day ahead of them and she was determined to find the Cornucopia. They packed up, ate the rest of the bread, and were on their way. About two hours into their walk, Katniss heard a noise. They carefully followed the noise, making sure it wasn't a trap.

What they found was a small cove with a waterfall that spilled out into a stream. Gale gave Katniss a sly grin and then proceeded to strip down to his underwear as he ran for the cove. He leaped off the edge on a rock, finishing with a cannonball as he hit the water. Katniss laughed and shook her head as she picked up the backpack and collected the clothing he left behind. She walked to the edge, and followed suit, jumping into the water in only her bra and underwear. She felt a surge as the cool water enveloped her body. Most people in District 12 didn't know how to swim but Katniss's dad taught her in a lake when they would go hunting. She remembers when she taught Gale how to swim in that same lake. Despite the fact he was a teenager, he looked like a little kid, struggling to move around and keep afloat. He was now gliding through the water with ease. She wondered if any of the other tributes could swim. District 4 tributes were proficient swimmer because they grew up by the water, but they were dead now. Would the Gamemakers and the Capitol question their swimming skills?

Katniss sat on rock ledge that was submerged by the water, waiting for Gale to return. A few minutes later, he raced back to where she was sitting.

"Having fun?" she asked playfully.

"Yeah." he said grinning back at her. It felt like old times again. The tension was gone; it was just the two of them. She noticed a devious look glint from Gale's eyes. Before she had time to react, he grabbed her from the ledge and dunked her under the water. She didn't close her mouth in time and some water went down the wrong pipe. She came up coughing and sat back down on the ledge, slapping her chest with her palm.

"Are you alright?" he asked swimming up to her. He stood on a rock so that they were eye level.

"Yeah, I'll be ok." she said after she cleared her throat. It wasn't until after she was composed that she realized Gale's arms wrapped around her waist. She could feel the warmth from his body again her cold skin. It felt almost electrifying. Her eyes met his intense gaze.

He looked like he had something important to tell her, a secret he had been waiting until the right moment to tell. It couldn't be, it's way too soon. She wasn't ready for him to confess his love. She had to do something quick.

"Race you to the waterfall." she said with a wink and then returned the dunk. She quickly swam until she was at the base of the waterfall thinking about how stupid she probably sounded. She wondered it there was anything behind the wall of water. Katniss got out of the water and edged her way against the rock behind the falls. To her surprise, she found a cavern carved into the rock. This would be a great place to hide from the other tributes. She went back outside and called for Gale. He retrieved the backpack, threw their clothes into it and followed her.

"You are a genius." he said as he looked around. He took out the flashlight and inspected the cavern, making sure it was safe. He didn't even find the smallest of animals inside. "Looks like we've found a new place to stay."

"We can still go to the Cornucopia, right?" Katniss asked. Even though they found a secure location, she knew this place wouldn't last forever. The Gamemakers would do something to force them out of it.

"Sure, but let's start now. I want to get back before nightfall." he said. They dug through the backpack for their clothes, got dressed, and then set out for the Cornucopia. Gale left the backpack in the cavern so he wouldn't be weighed down, but he took the knife. They walked in as straight a line as they could so they could find their way back. After only a half hour of walking, they came to a clearing and were standing towards the opening of the horn.

"That was easy." Gale said with a smile. They scoped the area and it didn't appear as if any tributes were nearby. "Let's be quick, I don't want to be here any longer than we need to be."

"Ok. I'm going to need to stand on your shoulders to reach the bow and quiver."

"Ok, let's go." he said. They sprinted for the Cornucopia and the coast was still clear. Gale kneeled down so Katniss could stand on his shoulders. He held her hands as he stood up and then grabbed her ankles as she reached for the bow and quiver. It took a few tries, but Katniss recovered her weapons. After she landed on the ground, they searched for any more resources that might be helpful. They found an extra water bottle, a bowl, another knife, and a small pack filled with dried fruit and meat, and an extra set of clothing.

Gale packed the other items they found and then, they were off. They remained silent as they ran back towards the waterfall. They ran alongside each other to keep track of each other. In a flash, Gale stopped running and let out a bloodcurdling scream. The shouting persisted. Katniss quickly pulled out an arrow and loaded her bow as she spun around. No tribute caused Gale's pain, he was all alone. She lowered her weapon and ran to him.

"Gale what's wrong!" she said as she slid to the ground next to him. His breathing was rapid and he tried as hard as he could to keep quiet. She looked down at his calf and her face went pale. The metal teeth of the trap dug into his skin. She sat there, shaking unsure of how to proceed. She had never seen a trap like this in all her years of hunting. She saw a chain connecting the trap to a stake in the ground.

"Katniss, you have to get out of here!" Gale shouted.

"No, I'm not leaving you."

"You have to. Someone must have heard me. You have your bow, get out now."

"You'll die if I leave you here." she said crying into his chest.

"I was going to die anyway."

"I still need you." she whispered.

"Katniss, go!" he said pushing her off him. She stood up, but couldn't move. She'd rather die than leave him like this. She kneeled down and inspected the trap. There was some space between the jaws of the trap. She found a thick stick, wedged it in the trap, and tried to pry it open. It opened a little but then snapped back shut. Gale let out painful cry as the teeth dug back into his skin. That rattled Katniss, causing her to shake even more than before. She covered her face with her hands in frustration, trying to think.

"Katniss, come here." he said softly.

"No, I can figure this out." she said looking at the trap again.

"There's something I have to tell you." he said. She ignored him and continued her work. She laid on her stomach to get a closer look at the underside of the trap. She examined the spring mechanisms underneath. On the sides were two raised levers.

"If I open this up, do you think you can pull your leg out?" she asked him.

"I'll try." he responded. She helped him sit up. Gale clutched his leg with both hands. She released the levers on the sides and the let out a loud scream as she forced opened the jaws. Gale quickly pulled his leg free before Katniss lost control of trap. She released the trap before the teeth snapped shut. Katniss flung herself against Gale and tears fell down her face. They both held each other and cried until they could control their emotions.

"It's ok, everything is ok now, Catnip." he said stroking her hair.

"Will you be able to walk?" she asked looking up at him.

"If you help me, I think I can manage." he said. She helped him up and he leaned on her for support. He winced every time the foot of his injured leg hit the ground.

"You're going to have to hop." she said. She would do anything for a pair of crutches right now. The journey back to the waterfall was an arduous one with frequent breaks. What should have been a half hour walk turned into a two hour expedition. Katniss felt physically and mentally drained but she knew there was still a lot to be done. When they got back, Katniss inspected his wound. There were 4 places where the teeth had punctured his skin. She washed away the blood with water from the fall and then wrapped it with a bandage she fashioned by ripping the bottom of the extra shirt from the backpack. It was the best she could do to try to keep infection at bay. She helped him lay down on top of the sleeping bag.

"Try to get some rest." she instructed him. Gale closed his eyes and she went outside of the cavern. She leaned on rock and started to weep. Even though she helped him out of the trap, she knew he was not in the clear. Without medicine, his wound was likely to become infected. She could only hope that Haymitch would send something to heal the wound. Maybe that's why he didn't send water…he was saving the money for something more important. When she felt as though she had no more tears left to cry, she returned inside the cavern. Gale was sleeping soundly. She promised to herself that she would remain strong for him. Her mother always told her how important patient morale was. She had to keep him optimistic about his recovery.

The Anthem didn't play that evening, signifying that there were no deaths in the arena. Katniss thought the Gamemakers wouldn't be pleased with this but at least their little ordeal provided some entertainment to the citizens of Panem.

Katniss didn't sleep well that night despite her exhaustion. She woke up every hour from a different nightmare each time. Most of the nightmares ended with either her or Gale's death. When she could see that the sun was rising through the water, she went outside to see if Haymitch had sent anything. She scoured the area but found nothing. She didn't understand this. Didn't Haymitch see how bad the injury was? Maybe he was waiting until daylight to send it or maybe he was too drunk to care.

Katniss went back inside to check on Gale and to retrieve the smaller knife. She went outside, found a long stick and carved a sharp point on one end to create a fishing spear. She wasn't sure if there were any fish nearby, but she had to do something to keep busy. She went to the mouth of the cove, where the water spilled into the stream. She patiently waited until a small school of fish passed by. She quickly speared a fish, dislodged it by stepping on it and removed the spear. She repeated this as fast was she could and managed to spear 4 fish. She pierced the fish with a smaller stick and carried them back to their camp. Before she started the fire, she grabbed her bow and arrow. She didn't care if anyone saw her fire, she would be ready for him or her with her weapon.

When the fish was cooked and cleaned, she went inside carrying her weapons and the bowl of fish. She could hear Gale murmuring her name. She wasn't sure if he was sleeping or awake. She sat next to him.

"I'm right here, Gale." she said gently as she rubbed his shoulder. He let out a groan as he opened his eyes.

"Does it hurt?" she asked concerned. He nodded his head with a pained expression on his face. She wished there was something she could do.

"I caught some fish…are you hungry?" she asked trying to take his mind off the pain.

"Yeah." he replied.

"Do you think you can sit up?" she asked him. He nodded. Katniss propped the backpack behind him for some support. She put the bowl between them and they started eating.

"I thought I was a goner yesterday. Thank you for saving me." Gale said quietly.

"I couldn't leave you like that." Katniss said, matching his tone.

"I'm going to be ok, aren't I?" he asked.

"Yes, everything is going to be fine." she said forcing a smile.

"Good. I just wish I had something for the pain."

"How much does it hurt?" she asked.

"A lot." he said through controlled breaths. She could see a film of tears forming in his eyes. It pained her to see him like this.

"I wish there was something I could do." she said guiltily.

"You're here with me…that is something. Without you, I'd probably starve to death."

Katniss didn't say anything in response. She had to be strong which meant no more complaining. It wasn't until she saw Gale's hand waving his hand in front of her that she realized she had zoned out.

"Hello, earth to Katniss." Gale called out.

"Huh, what?" she said snapping out of it.

"I asked you how you managed to catch the fish without a line." he asked.

"Oh, I made a spear from a stick."

"How resourceful." he said with a smile which quickly disappeared. "Katniss, are you ok? You look exhausted."

"I didn't really sleep much last night…too many nightmares." she said still in a haze.

"Come here, we'll take a nap together." he said patting to the empty space on the sleeping bag. She wrapped an arm around him and rested her head on his chest and quickly fell asleep.

"Hey there sleepyhead." Gale said as she started to wake up.

"How long was I out?" she asked.

"Three hours or so."

"Did you get any more sleep?"

"Just a little."

"You could have gotten up. I wouldn't have minded." she said.

"Pretty hard to get around, remember?" he said pointing towards his leg.

"Oh yeah. Any cannons fire while I was out?"

"Not one."

"Everyone is probably lying low after that attack." Katniss guessed.

"How long do you think it will take for my leg to heal?" Gale asked, changing the subject. Katniss was caught off guard. She couldn't bear to tell him the truth so she decided to dodge the answer.

"I don't know Gale, I am not a healer like my mother."

"But you used to help her. You must have seen mining injuries like this before." he said. It was true. Many times the miners would come to her mother to heal gashes on their bodies from the picks.

"I only did what she told me to do. Mainly get clean water and bandages."

"Maybe you should take another look at it." he suggested.

"Ok, we should probably clean it to. Can you get closer to the waterfall?"

"Sure." he said as he scooted to the edge of the cavern. He laid back as Katniss unwrapped the bandage. What she saw didn't look good…he already had the early signs of infections. Puncture wounds were so likely to become infected. She positioned his leg into the waterfall to flush out the puss and bacteria.

"Ah, that feels good." Gale sighed. After a few minutes, Katniss ripped another section of the extra shirt to make a new bandage.

"Can we go outside?" Gale asked her.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Katniss said, thinking about what would happen if another tribute found them.

"Please, I can't stand being in here." he begged.

"Ok." she said giving in. It was pretty dreary inside and maybe some sunlight would do him some good. After she was finished wrapping his leg, she led him outside and they sat on a large rock. Katniss remained silent. She waited for Gale to start a conversation but she guessed he wasn't in the mood for small talk either. After a half hour, he broke the silence.

"Katniss, I'm not feeling so good." he said with a furrowed brow. She led him back inside, and helped him lower himself on the sleeping bag.

"What do you need?" she asked.

"Some water would be nice." he said. She fetched his water bottle and assisted him as he drank from it. Afterwards she felt his forehead with the back of her hand.

"Gale, you're burning up." she said worried.

"Am I going to be ok?"

"Yes, it's just a fever. You'll be better by tomorrow." she lied, hoping he didn't really know what was going on. He wouldn't be better without some sort of medicine. She would do anything to make a parachute appear with the medicine she needed to treat Gale.

"My stomach isn't feeling so great either." he added.

"Are you hungry?"

"No, it hurts like when you are sick."

"I'll be right back." she said, leaving before he could object. She grabbed her bow and arrow on the way out, just for good measure. She walked down to the base of the stream where she had seen some mint plants growing earlier. She grabbed and handful, washed them in the stream, and then returned to the cavern.

"Here, chew on this." she said, breaking off a few leaves.

"What is it?" Gale questioned.

"Mint. It will help your stomach." He did as she said. Katniss also chewed on some leaves because her stomach was now in knots from thinking of Gale's predicament. As the hours progressed, Gale's condition seemed to be getting worse. He could barely hold his head up off pillow that Katniss made using both of their jackets. He slipped in and out of consciousness throughout the evening. Katniss sat by his side, dipping a rag into a bowl of cold water and wiping the sweat off his face. She tried to think of remedies but nothing came to mind. Then, she remembered that there was a first aid kit in one of the backpacks. She quickly unzipped the bag, opened the kit and found some fever-reducing pills. She went back over to Gale to wake him up.

"Gale, I have something for you to take. It will help with the fever." she said. He mumbled something incoherently. Katniss managed to prop his head on lap. "Swallow this, ok?" she told him as she put the pill on this tongue, and gave him some water.

"This is it, for me, isn't it?" Gale said with a tear in his eye.

"No, it's just a setback. You're going to get better."

"Will you sing for me, Katniss?" he said with a faint voice. He must have seen her eyes look toward the camera because he added, "Not for them, just for me." She had to think for a minute for a song that she could manage to sing without getting in trouble. She seemed to like the songs that were banned best of all, but she didn't want retaliation from the Gamemakers. She decided on the song she sang before, when she was back in her room in the Training Center. Her voice was a little shaky at certain parts, but she managed to hold herself together. She saw a weak smile appear on Gale's face as he closed his eyes and listened. At least she was making him happy despite his condition.

"Another one." Gale said when she was finished. She decided on a song that she made up with her father. Surely, she couldn't get in trouble for singing a made up song.

"I could listen to you sing all day." Gale said when she finished her song.

"Well, I think you'd better get some more rest."

"Please, don't leave me."

"I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right beside you when you wake up. I promise." she said sweetly to him.

"Thanks for taking care of me, Katniss." he said before falling asleep. This got to her. She didn't feel like she was taking care of him. Nothing she could do would make him better. Fury raged through her when she thought of Haymitch and how he was doing nothing to help him. What was he doing back in the Capitol? Was he even trying to get sponsors? Then a realization hit her. Maybe he was trying but the medicine was too expensive. They had already been in the arena for five days…the medicine probably would have cost too much money even from the get go. It was now up to her to try to win more sponsors. What could she do though? They aren't going to sponsor her just on sympathy alone. Where are all those rich Capitol women who swooned over Gale at the interviews? Certainly they would want to help him survive.

All of a sudden, Haymitch's words replayed in her mind '_You know how the Capitol likes a good, old fashioned love story_.' Would that really work? Could Gale and her get the sponsors they needed if she pretended they were in love. It seemed like a good enough story: one tribute volunteering to save her sister while her best friend volunteers to protect her in the arena, where they realized their feelings run deeper than they ever thought they could. It was decided; she would trick all of Panem to help save her best friend's life. Her concentration was broken when she heard Gale say her name.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"I'm just really cold." he said as he shivered.

"Let's get you inside the sleeping bag." she replied. She unzipped the bag and pulled the top part from underneath him since he couldn't really move that well.

"Maybe you could help warm me up." he said. She gave him a look. Did he just read her mind or something? Did he know her plan now?

"Ok." She cuddled up next to him and draped the top of the sleeping bag over them, allowing for his injured leg to remain free. She thought about her next move but was anxious. She knew she needed a big romantic gesture and soon. Katniss knew she had to kiss him. She had never felt this nervous. She had never kissed anyone before. She thought of all the things that could go wrong: it could look horrible and awkward, Gale could interrupt the kiss and question her motives, and so on.

"Better?" she cooed.

"Yes, much better." Gale said smiling back. She knew this had to be the moment. They were already so close to one another. She only hoped that Gale was delirious enough from his fever that he wouldn't ask questions. She moved even closer to him until their lips met. It took him a good 10 seconds to realize what was happening. He wrapped his arms around her waist and reciprocated the kiss. Katniss felt something stir inside her chest. Surprisingly, it didn't feel awkward at all and she enjoyed kissing him. Maybe she wouldn't have to pretend after all. After a considerable amount of time lapsed, she pulled away.

"Why'd you stop?" he murmured.

"I needed to come up for air." she said softly.

"Katniss, is this real?" he whispered.

"Of course it's real." she said playing with his hair.

"I just thought, maybe this is a dream."

"I promise you, it's not a dream." she said as she leaned closer, resuming their kiss. He seemed a little more alert this time, as if the fever-reducing pill was actually making him feel better. She was shocked when she felt his tongue enter her mouth. After a few seconds, she pulled away. He had a hurt look on his face. She put her mouth to his ear and talked as quietly as she could so the camera wouldn't pick up her voice.

"Gale, I've never done this before." she whispered.

"Well, you could have fooled me." he whispered back.

"Come on, you know I haven't."

"Well you have to learn eventually." he said before his lips found hers. This time she didn't pull away. Who cares if it looked a little awkward? She continued to kiss him until he ended it.

"I feel much better now." he said with a smile.

"You're still warm. You need to get some rest if you want that fever to go away." Katniss said as she felt his forehead.

"See you _are_ a good healer." he said.

"Oh, stop." Katniss giggled as she patted his chest.

"Can we talk? There is so much I want to tell you."

"Tomorrow." she said before kissing his forehead. Perhaps the Capitol citizens will send in their money in order to ensure that he is well enough for a confession to her. Katniss laid with him for several hours before she went outside, hoping to find a container with a parachute attached. There was still nothing. Could no one else see how serious this was? Or maybe they just didn't care. It had been 2 days since a death in the Games…maybe they were waiting for his so they'd have something to talk about. Isn't a love story more compelling than death? Although Katniss thought in this case the two were intertwined. If Gale did die from this, he will have died for love.

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**So what did you think? Don't worry Gale's love confession is coming; you'll just have to wait a little longer ;) Also, there are some parallels to the original story (Gale's injury/the cavern) but there is plenty of new stuff awaiting Katniss and Gale in the arena.**


	19. Peeta

**This next Chapter is from Peeta's POV. While I was reading The Hunger Games book, I always wondered what Gale thought/did after he saw Katniss kiss Peeta. Since my story isn't written in 1st person, I thought I would include this into it. Hope you enjoy.**

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or any of its characters.

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Chapter 19

Peeta stared at the screen, unable to believe what he was watching unfold in front of him. She had told him herself that there was nothing going on between her and Gale. He broke his gaze on the screen to find both of his brothers watching him, waiting for his reaction. The last thing he needed was to hear them tease him about his crush kissing another guy. He stormed out of the bakery and walked quickly through the square into the night. He wasn't really sure where he was going. He tried to avoid the jumbo screens set up in the square broadcasting the Games, but his eye caught them kissing again. There were about a dozen people in the square watching. He continued on until he reached the solitude of the meadow. No one was here at this time of night. He sat down with his head in his hands trying to process what had just happened.

Why would she say that to him if it weren't true? He thought back to the conversation he had with her on the phone. She said they were just friends. When he didn't believe her, she repeated it. There was something else. Didn't she say that her and Gale had to do whatever Haymitch told them? Was that part of their strategy? He wasn't sure. It looked like she was enjoying it too much. He knew that Katniss wasn't very good at hiding her emotions. If it were an act, he would have seen some sort of hesitation. He hated Gale in this moment. If Gale hadn't volunteered for him in the Reaping, it could have him kissing Katniss in the arena. He realized how ridiculous his thoughts sounded. Gale was hurt, badly. Peeta had seen the recap of the accident and it was difficult to watch. He would not want to be in Gale's shoes right now, even if it did mean a kiss or two from Katniss Everdeen.

He was equally shocked that Gale had kissed her back. After all those years of watching the two of them in school, not once had he ever shown Katniss affection. He was always too busy talking to whatever girl he had taken an interest in at the time. Perhaps Gale too had kept his feelings for Katniss a secret for all those years, only allowing them to show through in a moment of desperation. Isn't that what he had done? It wasn't until right before Katniss left the Justice Building that he told her how he really felt about her. Maybe Gale and him weren't so different after all.

Peeta lay down in the grasses and looked up at the night sky. He wasn't ready to back home yet. He knew his brother would just spout out wisecracks about the situation. He took a deep breath. Everything was going to be fine. Katniss would be home in a few weeks and then he would get to be with her. He thought about the future, about what would happen after the Games were over. Something he had never thought about before was what condition she would arrive home in. Gale wouldn't be making it out of the arena alive. Even if they were just friends, it was going to be a difficult recovery. He would be there for her though. He could help her.

Peeta realized that today was the day he had planned on making another bread delivery to Katniss and Gale's families. The timing could not have been worse. He wasn't in the mood to converse with any of their family members today. Maybe if he went back to the bakery now, he could quickly grab the bread he had stashed for them and make the deliveries early, before either family was awake. He left the meadow and walked back into the bakery. Both his brothers were waiting for him.

"We were worried about you. We thought you might have gone out and done something foolish." his oldest brother Fen said.

"I'm fine." Peeta said keeping a stiff upper lip.

"We made you breakfast." his older brother, Carac, mentioned.

"It's 3 in the morning." Peeta said.

"Just come on." Fen said. He knew there was no getting out of it so he followed his brothers into the dining room. He should be thankful that they were being so nice to him, even if it was because they pitied him. They ate in silence until Carac interrupted it.

"Sucks about Katniss, huh?" Carac said.

"Carac!" Fen said reprimanding him.

"What we're not going to talk about it?" Carac said.

"It's ok." Peeta said trying to calm them both down. "I'm not even sure it's real."

"What do you mean? You saw them on the television." Fen said confused.

"I also talked to her on the phone when she was in the Capitol. She said that Haymitch Abernathy is making them do whatever he tells them to do. It's the only way they could get him on board to help them." Peeta explained.

"Now you've gone delusional…no tributes can communicate with anyone once they are taken from the Reaping."

"Yeah, well, Katniss isn't like most tributes." Peeta said with a grin. He could feel his cheeks blush a little and hoped his brothers didn't point it out.

"You really like her, don't you?" Fen said.

"Yeah." Peeta said quietly.

They were interrupted when their father entered the dining room.

"You boys are up early." Mr. Mellark said. "Everything ok?"

"Katniss Everdeen kissed Gale Hawthorne…twice." Carac brashly explained.

"Oh." Mr. Mellark responded. He always felt a little responsible for Peeta's affections for Katniss. After all, it was he who pointed her out to Peeta on his first day of school. He never thought that his son would actually take his advice about her. "You ok, son?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." Peeta said staring off into the distance. He wasn't very sure that he would be fine. "I have to go do something before I start baking."

"Take as long as you need." his father said as he patted him on the back before leaving. Neither of his brothers dared to question where he was going. He dismissed himself from the table, grabbed his bag of bread, and started his journey. The sun was just starting to rise as he started down the road that led to the Seam.

The path was lined with workers starting to make their way to the mines. He bet they were wondering what a boy from town was doing walking this path so early in the morning. They were probably wondering what he was doing here at all. The Merchant class never ventured out of town. The week before, he was wary about traveling here alone, worrying that someone would mug him and take his bag. Everything was fine though; people seemed to mind their own business.

He reached Gale's house first. He laid the white bag at the door and knocked a few times before continuing on his way. When he was off their front porch, he heard the door quickly open and close. A few minutes later, he reached Katniss's house. Peeta felt a pang in his heart. He wished he could just knock on the door and she would be there. He placed the bag of bread in front of the door but as he went to knock on the door, it opened, revealing Prim.

"Peeta!" she said as she lunged forward and hugged him. She must not have seen the footage. It was on pretty late last night. He wondered if her mother had.

"Peeta, you have to have to come inside and have breakfast with us!" Prim said taking his hand and dragging him inside. He grabbed the bread bag off the ground and went inside.

'_This can't be happening._' he thought. He didn't want to be around anyone today, much less her family. Still, if it made Prim take her mind off what was happening to her sister in the arena, then it was worth it.

"Hello, Mrs. Everdeen." Peeta said as they entered the kitchen.

"Hello, Peeta." she said as she turned around to greet him. He could tell by her demeanor that she had seen the footage from last night.

"I…um…brought some more bread." he said holding up the bag.

"Thank you Peeta. You are such a sweet boy." she said kindly.

"Peeta's staying for breakfast." Prim said with a smile.

"Only if it is ok with you." Peeta said, not wanting to intrude.

"Of course. You know you are welcomed here any time." her mother said. He sliced some bread and placed it in the middle of the table. Then, he sat across from Prim. Her mother joined them a minute later and served them their breakfast. Peeta felt guilty taking their food. After all, they had a limited amount and he had already eaten breakfast. He wished he could give them more than just bread.

"So, Peeta, how has your summer been so far?" her mother asked.

"It's been good. I've been working in the bakery, mostly." he replied. He had a feeling he was going to have a hard time trying to come up with small talk.

"Peeta did you see Katniss in the interviews? Didn't she look beautiful?" Prim asked him. He realized the last time he had been to the Everdeen house was on the day of the interviews. Prim was so excited to see her sister all dressed up and rambled on about what she thought her hair and dress would look like.

"She always looks beautiful." he said in a daze, imagining her in that red dress. He snapped out of it and put on a smile. "You were right about the fire, Prim."

"I just knew her stylist would put more fire into dress. It was amazing! Do you think she will get to keep it? I'd like to try it out." she said standing up and spinning around in place.

"Prim, please sit. We are eating." her mother said with an even tone. Prim followed her request.

Prim seemed very light-hearted still. Peeta wondered if her mother even let her watch any of the Games.

"I'm sorry, it's all I can talk about since you won't let me watch any of the Games." Prim said pouting.

"Don't worry, Prim. You're not missing much." Peeta said, trying to make her feel better. If he ever had children, he wouldn't let them watch either. "The only thing that matters is that Katniss is safe."

"Well of course she is. Gale is with her." she said.

'_Prim must not know anything._' he thought. Judging by her disposition, she must not know what happened to him. "Yes, she is very lucky to have him."

"I just want to see what it's like, the arena. And I want to see Katniss and Gale together. I always wondered what it's like when they go hunting since they would never take me."

Peeta went on to describe the arena to Prim. She hung on his every word as he described the landscape in the arena. She asked him a question about Gale and Katniss. Peeta looked over to her mother before answering, and she nodded her head in approval.

"Prim, I think it's time for you to milk Lady." her mother said looking at the modest clock that hung over the stove.

"But I want to stay here and talk to Peeta!"

"We need to have a talk." her mother said, raising her eyebrows. Prim didn't object; she just walked out of the back of the house.

"You've seen the footage, haven't you?" Mrs. Everdeen asked. Peeta shook his head.

"I wish I could say that I didn't see it coming." she said sympathetically. He looked up at her with a quizzical look. She went on. "There has always been something there, I just don't think either of them wanted to admit it."

This made Peeta feel even worse. She must be right; she is Katniss' mother after all. Mothers can pick up on these things.

"How long have you known?" Peeta asked.

"It's been about 3 years." she said.

"I, I think I should go." Peeta said standing up. He felt a dizzy as he stood up, unable to take the news. His hypothesis was wrong. It wasn't Haymitch directing them to act this way. They were acting on their own accord. He struggled to get to the front door. What was wrong with him?

"Peeta, come with me." Mrs. Everdeen said leading him to a bedroom. She told him to lie down.

"I'm fine."

"You stay here, I'll be right back" she said. She returned with a vial of clear liquid and instructed him to drink it.

"What is it?" he asked.

"It will help take the edge off." she said.

"I have to get back to the bakery."

"What you need is rest. How much sleep have you gotten since the Games started?" He thought about that for a minute.

"Just a few hours a night." he said. He had been staying up most of the night, watching to make sure she was safe.

"I know how you feel about her but you need to stop worrying." she said.

"You do?" Peeta asked surprised.

"Yes, it's pretty obvious…but it's also very sweet." she said. She handed him the opened vial. Peeta took it and swallowed the contents.

"How long does this stuff last?" he asked lying down.

"Just a few hours." she responded. Within a few minutes, Peeta blacked out.

When Peeta woke up, he felt amazing. He felt like he had gotten more than a full night's sleep even though sun was still high in the sky. He walked into the kitchen to find Mrs. Everdeen preparing lunch.

"Feeling better?" she asked.

"Yes, thank you. I'm sorry about earlier."

"It ok, exhaustion will do that. Are you staying for lunch?"

"No, I need to get back. My parents are probably wondering where I ran off to."

"Ok. Remember, you are always welcomed here, Peeta. Prim really enjoys your visits."

"Where is Prim?" he asked.

"Oh, she went off to play with some friends."

"She doesn't know anything, does she?"

"No, you know how much she would worry."

"Yeah, I guess it's better that way. I'll be back with more bread next week." he said before leaving. He made his way down the long path to the village. Peeta started running down the path, wanting to get home quickly. He stopped after about a half mile because he was out of breath. He wouldn't have lasted a day in the arena in this kind of shape. He wouldn't have been able to outrun anyone especially the Careers. He alternated between a brisk walk and light jog until he reached the edge of the Seam. When he reached the bakery, his mother was waiting for him.

"Oh great." he muttered to himself. She shut the door behind her after he entered the empty store.

"Where the hell have you been? You were suppose to frost the cakes this morning!" she yelled at him.

"There was something I had to do. Dad said it was ok." he said.

"No more sneaking off!" she said before storming away. Peeta let out a sigh of relief. It was a good thing she didn't have a rolling pin in her hand, she probably would have used it. He joined his brothers in the kitchen and resumed his duties.

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Author's Note: Just wanted to let you know how I got the names for Peeta's brothers. Fen is short for Fennel (as in fennel seeds). Carac is a type of Swiss pastry (I thought it had a Hunger Games feel to it).


	20. The Confession

**I wrote and uploaded this while on my vacation. Hope you like this one :)**

Disclaimer: I do know own The Hunger Games or any of its characters.

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Chapter 20

When Katniss woke up, she could tell that Gale wasn't doing well. His skin was pale, and he was covered in sweat. She unwrapped his bandages and his leg looked even worse. She couldn't take it anymore. After he rewrapped his leg, she went outside and collapsed on the large rock ledge near the waterfall and started bawling. She couldn't stand seeing him like this anymore. It is not how she wanted to remember him after he died. She thought about how much time he had left. He'd probably be dead by tomorrow if help didn't come.

As she laid on the warm rock, her mind roamed. She remembered her father telling her about a place that people used to believe in many, many generations ago called heaven. Before Panem was created, people thought that the deceased went there and were reunited with the ones they loved. A place like that seemed really good right now. She wondered if her father had just made that up, if it was just a story. He did that sometimes. And she had never heard anyone else mention it before. Still, it seemed much better than the alternative.

She closed her eyes and thought about heaven would be like. Did it look just like Earth or was it more whimsical. Her father used to tell her it was in the sky, above the clouds. She pictured it in her head and it seemed a ridiculous notion. You couldn't walk on clouds…they are only water vapor. Also what if someone fell off? She guessed what it looked like wasn't really that important. She thought Gale would like heaven. Then he could be reunited with his father. He didn't really mention him much anymore, but when they were younger, he would talk about how much he missed his father. Having experienced the same thing, Katniss knew that longing didn't go away. To this day, she yearned for her father to still be alive.

Tears flooded her eyes once again. She was so tired of all of this. At this point, she would welcome any tribute to come and finish her off. She felt herself starting to drift off under the warm summer sun, waiting for all of this to be over.

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Katniss woke up to the feeling of a silky fabric brush up against her cheek. They didn't make fabric this soft in District 12. She kept her eyes closed as she let the breeze move it back and forth across her skin. She wondered how this fabric even got here and why it had not blown away yet. Curiosity got the best of her and she sat up to find the answer. Her heart skipped as she took in what was attached the fabric: a metal canister. She grabbed it quickly as if it would float away. Her hands were shaking so much that she had a hard time unhinging the lock to see what was inside. She didn't know what to expect, it could contain anything. She knew what she wanted to be inside but she didn't want to give her hopes up. Inside the package was a jar of ointment.

"Thank you." she whispered into the air, hoping that the citizens of Panem would see her appreciation. She clutched onto the jar for dear life and ran to Gale. She didn't even bother to wake him up. After she unwrapped the bandage and cleaned his wound, she applied a thick coating of ointment to his leg. He woke up shortly after.

"Katniss, what's wrong with my leg." Gale asked through gasps.

"It's ok. It's just the medicine."

"Katniss, what are you talking about? What medicine?" he shouted. She placed the jar on his chest and all he could do was stare at it.

"You're going to be ok now Gale." she said with a smile.

"Does it have to hurt so much?"

"That means it's working. It's a pretty bad infection."

"Was there anything else in there for the pain?" he asked as he squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his fists.

"I, I don't know." Katniss said dumbfounded. "I'll be right back." She quickly went outside and retrieved the canister. Inside, she found a piece of paper and a small vial. She read the paper first, expecting instructions but instead found a note. It read: 'well played, sweetheart.' She ripped up the note so Gale wouldn't see it and threw the pieces into the water. She ran back into the cavern.

"Sorry." she said as she held up the vial. Gale tilted his head back and she poured half of the liquid from the vial into his mouth. She decided to save some for later in case she needed to reapply the ointment. Within a few minutes, Gale's pain vanished. Katniss had a realization. Haymitch wasn't waiting for the money for the medicine; he was waiting to purchase the pain medicine to go with it. Ever since the Capitol citizens started abusing pain medication, the price of it skyrocketed to avoid shortages. The small vial must have cost at least three times as much as the whole jar of ointment. A second realization came to Katniss. Haymitch wasn't as disaffected as he played out to be. He must care if he would acquire the pain medicine as well. This made Katniss smile.

"I'm going hunting now, ok?" Katniss said once she saw that he was feeling better.

"No, stay here."

"We don't have any food left."

"Try not to wander off too far from here, and take the compass with you." he advised her. She went to the large backpack and retrieved it along with some wire. She also took the knife and slid it in her belt. She returned to Gale to say goodbye. She wondered if he even remembered last night's events. He had been somewhat disoriented. She leaned down and gave him a brief kiss on the lips. When her lips parted his, she felt his hand behind her neck, gently pulling her closer to him. Their mouths joined once again. The kiss was more intense, almost as if he thought this might be their last kiss.

"Gale, I'm coming back." she whispered.

"You never know what might happen out there." he said with uncertainty.

"I'll be careful." she said. After all the hunting she had done in her years, she thought he wouldn't have to worry about her. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, grabbed her bow and arrow, and was off. About half a mile into the forest, she could hear the woods teaming with the sounds of animals. She walked light-footed with an arrow ready. She found a pair of rabbits by the base of a tree. She wondered if she was quick enough to pull off both shots before the second rabbit could get away. She fired her first arrow, hitting her target, then quickly pulled a second arrow out of her quiver, but missed. She used some of the wire to attach it to her belt. She continued deeper into the forest, waiting for her next target. She managed to shoot two more rabbits. While she was tying them to her belt, she was slammed into the ground by something. She felt a pair of hands turn her over and pin her to the ground. It was another tribute.

"Hey there, District 12." he said with a glint in his eyes. He straddled her to make sure she couldn't get away. Katniss didn't know what to do. She wished she could reach for her knife but he had his hand wrapped around her wrists, immobilizing them. Maybe if she started talking, she could buy some time.

"You don't want to do this." she said.

"Oh really!" he said with a laugh. "Do you know how many sponsors I could get if I took out the girl with the highest training score."

"So, how to you plan to kill me? I don't see any weapons." she said smugly.

"I don't need weapons. I promise to make this quick, though." he said. She didn't understand what he meant when he said he didn't need weapons. What was he planning to do to her? Her question was answered when she felt a pair of hands around her neck. She flailed around, trying to break free from him, but he was too strong. Her only hope was the knife she had concealed. She tried to pull it out of her belt but his leg was pressed against it. She had to think quickly which was difficult. She was already feeling the effects. Her only hope was for her to play dead and that she would be convincing enough that he would leave her for dead. Katniss made her body go limp, keeping her right hand close to the knife. She relaxed her facial muscles and closed her eyes. The most difficult part was to calm her breathing so he wouldn't see her chest moving up and down. It must have worked because he released his hands and got off of her. She was surprised he did this before the cannon shot. She felt him shift her body around. He must be trying to get her bow and arrows. She wondered if it was so he could use them or to brag to the other tributes that he killed the Girl on Fire. It was probably the latter. Katniss opened her eyes to little slivers so she could see where he was positioned. If she wanted to strike, now was the time. He would be too distracted to see what she was doing. She quickly grabbed the knife from her belt and stabbed him right in the heart. He let out a moan before collapsing to the ground.

Katniss retrieved the knife after she heard the cannon sound. She wiped the knife on his pant leg and returned it to her belt. She could feel her whole body shake as she walked back to camp. It was her first kill. She did give him a chance though. He could have been safe if he had just left her for dead. Instead, his arrogance got the best of him. She felt bad; she was a killer now. It was in self-defense, but still. She inspected her clothes for blood as she continued her walk. There was a spray of blood on the shoulder of her jacket but the fabric was so dark that it wasn't noticeable unless you really looked at it. She didn't want to have to tell Gale what happened. He was probably already worried enough just by waiting for her to return.

It was the beginning of the evening when she returned to camp. She went inside to find Gale sleeping. Katniss placed the rabbits in a pile and then laid next to him. His whole body was covered in sweat but she didn't care. She just wanted to be close to him. He must have felt her presence because he began to wake up.

"You're back." he said grinning.

"I told you I would be." she replied.

"Did you manage to catch anything?"

"Yes, three rabbits."

"Nice. By the way, how did I get covered in water?" he asked.

"It's sweat. Your fever must have broke." Katniss informed him.

"How does my leg look?" he asked her. Katniss sat up and took a look. She was amazed how much it had healed in a couple of hours. The Capitol was known for having very advanced medicines. Back in the Seam, it would have taken her mother at least a week before it looked as it currently did.

"It's almost healed." Katniss said in shock. Gale sat up to see.

"I guess that why it hurt so much. Is it alright if I go wash up in the cove?"

"You can do whatever you want. Can you walk now?" She helped Gale up. He managed to walk but with a slight limp. Katniss decided to join Gale in the cove as well. First, they washed their clothes and laid them on the rocks to dry and then they washed themselves. Katniss took out her braid to get out all the dirt that had made it's way into it during the past few days.

When she was finished, she put on her damp shirt. She wished it were drier, but she didn't feel like walking around half naked for all of Panem to see. She tried to pull on her pants, but it was impossible to pull them up past her calves. She laid them back on the rock. She sat down, leaning against a boulder, and started to prepare their dinner. After she skinned the rabbits, Katniss made a small fire on one of the rocks. She kept her bow close by in case it drew attention. Gale came hobbling up from the cove in only his underwear and sat down next to her as the rabbits cooked.

"Hey." he said slightly out of breath.

"Have a good swim?" she asked.

"Yeah, it feels good to be able to move around again." he said with a big smile.

"There's an extra shirt in the smaller backpack inside…I can go get it for you." she offered.

"No I'm good. I'll just wait 'til mine is dry." he said. She had wished he had taken her up on her offer. She was sure she was blushing heavily by now. He leaned in closer to whisper something into her ear. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

"A little." she admitted.

"You didn't seem to mind the other day."

"It was different than." she said quietly.

"How?" he asked. She shrugged her shoulders. "It's only skin, Katniss. Nothing to be alarmed about." he added as he took her hand and placed it on his chest. Their eyes met in an amorous stare. He pressed his body against hers and let out a small laugh.

"What?" she asked.

"I think you need that shirt more than I do. You're sopping wet. I'll be right back." he said getting up. He returned a minute later with the dry shirt. He sat down next to her and he pulled the wet shirt over her head.

"You know, you don't always have to be so modest." he said, touching her face.

"Thanks for the shirt." she said as she pulled it out of his other hand. Before she could put it on, he wrapped his arms around her and went in for the kiss. She hated him right now, but at least it was good for the sponsors. They will probably build up a nice reserve by the end of the night. She knew he was going to tell her everything at some point in the evening. The Capitol citizens will finally get what they have been waiting for. She didn't want to break off the kiss but she remembered her previous task. She gently pushed him away.

"I'm sorry, it's just…the rabbits." she said.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." he said. She threw down the shirt and walked to the fire. They looked good to her so she took them off the fire and put them into the bowl. She walked back over to Gale and put the shirt on.

"I didn't have enough time to find anything to go with it."

"This is perfect." he said with a smile. She put the bowl between them and they picked at the rabbit meat. Neither of them said much while they ate. She figured Gale was preparing some big speech for later. Katniss stared into the fire. She loved watching the flames dance around. She thought back to the opening ceremony when they were lit with flames trailing behind them and to the interviews when her dress ignited when she twirled. It really was a spectacle. No wonder Cinna chose fire to represent their district. She missed him.

"Everything alright Katniss?" Gale asked noticing her expression.

"Yeah, it's fine. I just miss everyone." she said.

"You'll be home soon enough." he said. Her heart sank. It was just another reminder that he would not be joining her.

"I think I'm done eating." she said looking at the ground.

"Me too." he said. Gale moved the bowl to the side and scooted closer to her.

"There's something I've been meaning to tell you." Gale said. She looked up to face him. She could feel him shaking slightly. He must be nervous.

"I'm in love with you…I have been for a while."

"How long?" she asked.

"About two years." he admitted. She was shocked. She thought it had been a more recent discovery.

"But you told me there was someone else. Remember, you said you were love with someone when you were my age."

"Whom do you think I was talking about?" he said. She made the connection but it still didn't make any sense.

"What about all those other girls?" she questioned him.

"I was just trying to make you jealous, but it obviously didn't work." he admitted.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner, Gale? Two years is such a long time."

"Because I knew you didn't feel the same way."

"How could you have possibly known that?" she asked.

"Because I saw the way you looked at him." he said quietly. She knew he meant Peeta.

"It's not like that." she said.

"Eyes are the windows to the soul, right Katniss? That is how the saying goes."

"Yes." she said bluntly.

"I've always been jealous of him." he confessed.

"Well you shouldn't be." she said bringing him back to the present. "You know you never asked me how I feel about you."

"Do you love me?" he asked.

"Yes, I mean, I think I do. There is definitely something there."

"I can never get a straight answer from you, can I?" he asked with a smile.

"I like you Gale…I never expected to have these kinds of feelings for you."

"Looks like your mother was right to worry." he whispered to her before he started kissing her neck. Katniss could feel her heart beat even faster and she felt dizzy.

"Gale, stop for a minute." she exhaled.

"Everything ok?"

"I'm just feeling a little faint." she said holding her head.

"I'll get you some water." he said. She watched him hobble back to the cavern. He returned with her bottle of water and unscrewed the lid before handing it to her. She slowly sipped the water until it was finished. They turned their attention to the sky when they heard the Anthem ring out. The boy that Katniss killed appeared before her eyes. He was from District 9. She looked at the field of remaining tributes. They were: both tributes from 1 and 2, the girls from 5, 6, and 7, the boys from 8 and 11, Gale, and her. '_Only ten people left to die_' she thought.

"I didn't hear the cannon go off today." Gale said.

"I heard it when I was hunting." was all she could say. "We should go inside and put some more medicine on your leg."

"Yeah, it's getting pretty late anyway." he said. Katniss gathered their clothes, extinguished the fire and brought the bowl of rabbit with her. After she packed the food away in canister from earlier, she tended to Gale's leg. She made sure to give him the pain medicine first this time. While they waited for it to kick in, she did some exercises to make his calf muscles more limber. She rubbed the ointment on his wound and finished with a foot massage.

"Ah, you're amazing." he said with a sigh.

"No I'm not." she said.

"Yes you are; you just don't know it."

"Well I'm glad you have such a high opinion of me." she said lying next to him.

"Of course I do." he said wrapping an arm around her waist. She looked at him and found herself blushing once again.

"I never thought I'd make you blush like that." he whispered.

"Neither did I…but I like it." she said.

* * *

**Finally, Gale's confession! I know a lot of you been waiting for this moment for a while now! What did you think?**


	21. Disintegration

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Get ready...lots of things happen in this chapter.**

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or any of its characters.

* * *

Chapter 21

(Gale POV)

Gale woke up the next morning with Katniss still in his arms. He felt so much more relaxed now that he had told Katniss his secret. And she liked him too, which was even better. It could have gone horribly wrong if she hadn't shared his affections. He was also feeling better because his leg was almost healed. All that remained were scabs where infection once laid. He stood up and stretched his leg. He practiced jumping, walking, and jogging in place. It was a little sore, but at least his limp was almost gone.

He thought about going hunting but decided not to. Katniss would be upset if she awoke and he was gone. She had already worried about so much due to the injury. He located his clothes, which had dried, and dressed himself. He sat next to Katniss, waiting for her to wake. He quickly grew bored. He had been confined to the dimly lit cavern for much of the week. He decided to use the spear Katniss made and catch them some breakfast. She couldn't get too angry with him for that. He went down by the stream and jabbed the pointed end at a fish. He missed. It was much more difficult than sticking a baited line into the water. After a few attempts, he was successful. When he caught half a dozen fish, he walked back up to the rocks near the waterfall. He built a small fire and quickly cooked them. He went inside with the fish and went over to Katniss to wake her.

* * *

(Katniss (POV)

"Katniss, I made breakfast." Gale said tenderly after he had woken her up. She wished he had let her sleep; she was having the most amazing dream. She was back in District 12 with her family…even her father was there. She got up from the sleeping bag, dressed herself, and then joined Gale outside.

"You ok?" he asked her.

"I'll be fine." she said brushing him off. He walked up to her and hugged her.

"You know, whatever it is, you can tell me. I'm always here for you."

His words made her in an even worse mood. He wouldn't be there after all of this was over, when she was back in District 12, when she would need him the most.

"Let's eat before it gets cold." she said breaking his embrace. She sat with her legs crossed on the rock and began to eat the fish. Gale sat a little further away from her than usual. He was giving her some space and probably trying to think of a way to cheer her up. He always managed to cheer her up. She didn't feel like being in a good mood; today, she just felt like sulking.

As they were finishing up breakfast, they felt the ground start to shake.

"Gale, what is that?" Katniss asked wide-eyed.

"Earthquake." he gasped. Katniss got up and ran towards the waterfall.

"Katniss, where are you going!" Gale shouted, chasing after her.

"I need my bow!" she said as she sprinted into the cavern. Katniss started grabbing things and shoving them into her bag. Chunk of rock were already falling around them.

"Katniss, hurry!" Gale said in a panicked voice. He grabbed the sleeping bag and the backpack.

"We need this stuff, Gale!" she said.

"Not if we are dead!" he said. Water started pouring in from above. Katniss zipped her bag, threw her bow and quiver on her shoulder, and they both ran outside. Deep cracks were forming in the rocks and they had to jump over them to avoid falling to their death. To their right, trees were falling from the forest.

"Gale, where should we go!" Katniss asked him in terror.

"This way!" he said taking her hand, leading her into the forest. As they were leaving, Katniss turned her head to look behind her. She saw the rock of the waterfall collapse, causing a surge of water to flood the valley below.

"Katniss, come on, we have to keep going!" Gale demanded as he pulled her arm. She focused again and they ran, deeper into the forest. They stopped when the ground ceased its shaking. Both of them remained silent, still in shock at what had happened. A cannon shot. Katniss wasn't sure who had perished but knew it was a result of the earthquake.

"Where do we go from here?" Katniss asked Gale. Gale sat in thought. He picked up a stick and started drawing in the dirt. At moments, he closed if eyes, as if trying to picture something.

"What are you doing?" she asked sitting next to him.

"I'm drawing a map of the arena." he said.

'_Of course he is!_' Katniss thought to herself. Gale had always had a very good sense of direction. She was always amazed how he could recall places in the woods when they hunted, even if they hadn't been to that area in months or even years. She looked at his drawing and could recognize certain areas.

"This is all the area we haven't traversed yet…if the arena goes that far out." he said pointing to a space with horizontal lines shading it. "Should we stick with what we know or try somewhere new?" he asked.

"The unfamiliar places might not be safe." she said.

"I don't anywhere is safe in here, Katniss." he said with a slight laugh.

"Yeah, you're right." she said with a smile. "Ok, let's try somewhere new."

They stood up and walked to the left, which went slightly downhill. They walked around for a couple of hours looking for a new place to set up camp. Everywhere dulled in comparison to the cavern behind the waterfall. The Gamemakers couldn't let them stay in there forever. Katniss wondered if the earthquake was meant for them.

Katniss and Gale took a break from their search so Gale could rest his leg and to have lunch. They shared the little bit of rabbit that was left from the previous night.

"We should have rationed it out better last night." Katniss said, still hungry.

"We didn't expect our camp to be smashed to smithereens. We will go hunting tomorrow when all the animals come out of their hiding places." Gale said trying to stay positive. His stomach was still growling, too.

"Maybe we can find some berries or something." she said standing up. She helped Gale up and they were off. A few minutes into their walk, they heard a sharp, piercing scream coming from nearby. Katniss turned to face Gale.

"Did you hear that?" she asked Gale. He nodded his head.

"Let's just keep walking." Gale said. The cries from the female tribute continued over the next few minutes. Katniss took a step towards the noise and felt Gale's hand pull her backwards.

"Katniss, what are you doing?" he questioned her.

"Someone has to help her."

"It could be a trap."

"Or it could be a tribute who needs help."

"She's dying, Katniss."

"Yeah, really slowly." she said as she continued walking towards the noise. Gale ran and stood in front of her.

"Katniss, this isn't part of the plan." he said trying to talk some sense into her.

"You know it's the right thing to do, Gale. If it was Posy, you'd want someone to help." she said sympathetically. She watched the anger melt off of his face.

"You're right, let's go." he said as he started walking towards the noise. They approached a small clearing and could see the top of a pit. Nothing could prepare them for what they were about to face. Eight feet below lay a girl who was lying face up on a bed of sharp wooden stakes piercing the back of her body. Katniss recognized this girl with the fiery red hair. She had even given her a nickname…Foxface because of her stealth and her resemblance to a fox. She kept to herself whenever she was around the other tributes.

"We're here to help you." Katniss called down to her and she crouched down by the opening. Gale stayed back to guard the area.

"I think I'm beyond help." she said with a weak smile.

"Can you stand up? We could pull you out." Katniss responded. She watched Foxface's face contort with pain as she squirmed around, trying to break free.

"Stop!" Katniss shrieked unable to watch.

"You got anything for the pain?" she asked.

"No." Katniss said quietly.

"Wait, you're the girl from District 12. The one that's good with the bow and arrows." she said giving another smile. Katniss was unsure if she was smiling to mask the pain or if she was genuinely happy to see her.

"Yes, that's me."

"Did you manage to get them from the Cornucopia. I saw them, they were up pretty high." Foxface said.

"Yes, I got them." she said turning around so Foxface could see them. She couldn't believe that Foxface was carrying on a conversation with her. She was dying. If it helped her cope with that reality then Katniss knew she could oblige her with this small gesture.

"Good. What about the boy you came here with. Have you found him yet? I always thought he was very handsome."

"Yes, he's here keeping guard." Katniss looked over at Gale and motioned for him to join them. Gale walked over sat next to her.

"Hey District 5." he said with a smile. Katniss could see Foxface's cheeks blush. It looked as though Gale's appeal transcended the limits of District 12.

"I remember watching your Reaping on the train. It was my favorite."

"Why is that?" Gale asked curiously.

"The way you volunteered to protect her. It was very romantic."

"That's not how I intended it to be." Gale said with a grin.

"Well I observe things that most people don't see. It's too bad you both can't make it out of here. You would be good together."

"What makes you say that?" Gale asked.

"I watched the two of you during training. The way you interacted with each other, the looks you gave each other…the two of you are very magnetic."

"I guess it's a little late to ask the Gamemakers to change the rules." Gale said with a wink. Foxface giggled. This caused her body to move, which brought on more pain. Her smile disappeared.

"I never knew dying could take so long." Foxface said grimly.

"It will all be over soon." Katniss said in a comforting voice.

"There is something you could do to end this…if you don't mind sparing an arrow." she said. Katniss could feel all the blood drain from her face. Did Foxface just give her permission to put her out of her misery?

"No, I couldn't." Katniss choked out.

"You have a good shot. It would all be over in a second." Foxface reasoned. Katniss looked over to Gale. He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her forehead.

"Gale I can't." she whispered to him.

"It's what she wants…how much longer should she have to suffer like this?" Gale said with pain in his eyes.

"You do it, then."

"I don't have the precision you do…you know that."

"Yeah." she whimpered. She turned to face Foxface.

"What the two of you have, I always wanted that." she said.

"What's that?" Katniss asked.

"Love…real love. I've always been a hopeless romantic. Your story is a great one."

"But you don't know…" Katniss trailed off.

"Yes I do, from the footage and the interviews, and watching you, I think I have a pretty good idea. I'm ready now. Good luck to the both of you." she said closing her eyes. Gale walked about 10 feet away. Katniss stood up and loaded her bow with an arrow. The thing that really got her was how relaxed Foxface looked. She must have really trusted her. The longer Katniss waited, the harder it would be for her to release the arrow. She quickly lined up the arrow with Foxface's heart and sent it soaring. A cannon sounded and then there was silence.

Katniss could barely stand. She stumbled around using her bow for support. She felt Gale's arms wrap around her and pull her backwards. They toppled to the ground. Gale sat up pulled her close to him. Katniss sobbed uncontrollably into his chest.

"I'm done, I'm done with all of this…no one should have to do that." she said looking up at him.

"It's what she wanted, remember that, ok, Katniss. Never feel guilty about that." Gale said sternly as he looked into her eyes. "We have to go Katniss, it's going to be dark soon. We need to find somewhere safe."

Katniss took a few deep breaths before standing to calm herself. It still didn't help her body from shaking as they started walking. Gale grabbed her hand tightly when they watched the hovercraft pass overhead. They walked until they reached a cliff that overlooked the low-lying areas of the arena.

"We'll stay here tonight."

"It's too exposed." Katniss said disagreeing with his decision.

"Then we will take turns keeping watch." he said.

"I need to lie down for a little. Wake me up for Anthem." she said. Gale set up the sleeping bag for her and she crawled in. She put up the hood to her jacket and faced away from him as she cried herself to sleep.

* * *

When Gale woke her up, the sun was starting to set.

"Katniss, let's watch the sunset." he said softly. She removed herself from the sleeping bag and joined him near the edge of the cliff. He put his arm around her shoulders as she curled up next to him. The sky was filled with bright pinks, oranges and yellows. The clouds looked like they were on fire.

"It's beautiful." Katniss said.

"I thought you'd might like to see this." he said with a smile. They watched silently as the sun dipped below the horizon. The sky started growing dark. Gale took Katniss's hand as the Anthem started. Her eyes teared up when Foxface's picture appeared in the sky.

"She was so nice." Katniss whispered.

"I know." he said squeezing her hand.

"Gale, look!" Katniss said as she pointed to sky. After Foxface's pictured disappeared, it was replaced with the boy from District 11.

"No way!" Gale said shocked. "How? He was the strongest one here."

"The flood must have gotten him. You saw how fast that water was rushing down the hill."

"I guess strength can only get you so far in here."

"You should get some rest." Katniss suggested.

"Wake me up when you feel tired." Gale said.

"I will." she said. Gale pulled her closer and kissed her before he walked to the sleeping bag and lay down. Katniss sat with her bow in her lap. She wished the kiss had lasted longer. He was probably exhausted. It _had_ been an emotional day. She looked out over the expanse of the arena wondering where the other tributes were hiding. Her thoughts were broken when she saw a parachute sailing towards her. It landed a few feet away and she quickly retrieved it. Inside the basket attached to the parachute were two bowls and spoons, a thermos of lamb stew with dried plums, and a loaf of bread. Katniss was so happy to have her favorite dish from the Capitol sitting in front of her. She poured some in a bowl to make sure she didn't eat it all. She saved the rest for Gale; he was bound to be hungry when he woke up. When she was finished with the stew, she inspected the bread, holding it towards the moonlight. She recognized the distinct markings on the top of the loaf. This bread came from the bakery back in District 12.

'_Peeta!_' she thought. With everything that was happening in the arena, she had forgotten about him. She sliced through the bread. The inside of the bread had raisins and nuts, just like the burnt loaves Peeta had thrown her in the rain all those years ago. Was this intentional?

She felt horrible. What must he be thinking right now? She told him there was nothing going on with Gale and her. Peeta probably thought she had been lying to him the whole time about Gale being her friend. With the events that unfolded in the past days, it was clear that Gale was no longer just a friend. She wished she could explain everything to him. She would have to wait until she was home.

Katniss' mind then went to the promise he made to her in the Justice Building…that he would bring her family bread. She wondered if he intended to keep that promise in light of recent events. She wouldn't blame him if he didn't. She didn't even know if she would if she was in his shoes. He was much kinder than she was. He was too good of a person to watch her family starve. Still, jealousy can bring out the worst in a person.

Katniss thought about everything from what she would say to Peeta Mellark if he were here to ways she planned on taking out the Careers. She wished she were asleep so she wouldn't have to think about these things. Four hours into her watch, Gale woke up and joined her.

"Haymitch sent us something." Katniss said handing him the thermos of stew.

"Nice! It's still warm, too." he said as he took a few bites of the stew.

"And bread from District 12."

"From the bakery?" he asked.

"Yeah." she said in a low voice. He must have forgotten about Peeta too.

"You should get some more sleep Katniss." he said.

"I don't feel like being alone."

"Well, than stay close to me." he replied. When he was finished eating, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she leaned against him as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

When Katniss awoke the next morning, Gale and her packed up their things are made their way back into the woods to hunt. They spotted a few animals but most had fled the area. The woods had an eerie quietness to them. Even the mockingjays weren't around anymore. Katniss knew from all her years of hunting that a quiet forest usually meant trouble. She wondered what the Gamemakers had in store for them today.

"Katniss, look at that fog." Gale said as he notice a span of fog to their right creeping towards them.

"But we aren't near any water." Katniss said. Her eyes widened when she realized that the Gamemakers must have devised this. "Gale, run!" she said as she bolted in the opposite direction.

"Katniss, what is going on." he shouted as he chased her.

"It's not real fog. We have to stay ahead of it!"

"It's moving faster." Gale said in a panic.

"Don't let it catch you…who knows what it will do to us." Katniss had seen this kind of ploy in years past in the Games. The fog always did something different. Sometimes the fog was mild and knocked the tributes out and other times, the fog was an acidic gas that burned the flesh of those that came in contact with it. She noticed Gale was falling behind. His leg still wasn't at 100%. She could hear Gale shouting for her. He sounded so far away. She kept running but she wasn't fast enough. The fog consumed her. It burned her eyes. She looked around but all she could see was darkness. She screamed out Gale's name, hearing nothing in return. She only took comfort in the fact that no cannons had sounded. She crawled on the ground, searching for him. With each movement, she felt more and more lethargic. She tried her best to keep awake but it was proving difficult. Eventually the fog won, knocking her into an unconscious state.

* * *

When Katniss came to, it was already evening. Her vision was back to normal. She checked her body and other senses to make sure there weren't any impairment. Luckily, the fog only had temporary side effects. Gale must also be safe. She wondered how far away he was from her. She scoured the woods, trying to retrace her footsteps. She wasn't really sure which direction she came from. After an hour of searching, she knew that Gale was lost. She was all alone now. Tears streamed down her face as she made this realization. He was supposed to protect her. It wasn't his fault they had been split up, though. The Gamemakers probably had this all planned out to see how they would fare on their own.

Katniss climbed high into a tree thinking that maybe she might be able to see him in the distance. It was difficult to see with the diminishing sunlight. He was nowhere in sight. They should have decided on a meeting point in the arena if they were separated. Then Katniss realized that neither one of them ever thought that something like this would happen. She knew that Gale would stay by her until the end.

'_I should have gone back for him, or taken his hand, or something_.' she thought in frustration. It all happened so quickly. She knew it wasn't her fault and Gale wouldn't want her to blame herself for what happened. It didn't stop her from replaying the scenario in her head, thinking of how she could have kept them together.

Katniss climbed down to a tree limb about 25 feet off the ground. The small gap between the branch and the trunk provided a good place to sleep. As an added precaution, she fashioned a harness out of the parachute from the night before, just in case she fell during her sleep. The Anthem didn't play that night, signifying that no one died. '_At least he is out there somewhere_.' she thought. She closed her eyes and remained hopeful that tomorrow would be the day they would be reunited.

* * *

**Wow, lots of stuff happened, didn't it?**

**Hope you liked the Foxface scene. I got the idea for her death from this short story I had to read in high school called 'The Most Dangerous Game'. It's about a hunter who is bored with hunting animals so he decides to hunt humans instead. When I read about it (the burmese tiger trap), I just thought about how that would be a horrible way to die. I figured the Gamemakers would probably put something like that in the arena. **

**Let me know what you think about this chapter :)**


	22. Reunited

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or any of its characters.

* * *

Chapter 22

Four days had passed and Katniss still had not found Gale. She spent most of her days traversing the forest, searching for him. She managed to stay nourished thanks to the bread from District 12 and the water in her water bottle. She thought about Gale, who had nothing, and hoped that he was well enough to hunt for food.

The days seemed so pass by slower and slower as they progressed. She found little things to keep her from losing her mind, from braiding her hair into a crown around her head to watching the clouds shift in the sky. Nothing helped though. She missed his company. In all the years they had known each other, they had never gone this long without seeing each other. Katniss thought about how her days were numbered to find him. Two more tributes had died, the girl from six and the boy from eight. She had to find him so she could tell him how much he meant to her and how grateful she was for all that he has done for her, both inside and outside of the Games.

In the early afternoon, Katniss scaled a nearby tree to take a nap. Between the frequent nightmares and her long hikes, she found herself more tired than usual. She harnessed herself into the tree, as she did every time before she drifted off.

"I will find you, Gale Hawthorne…I promise." she whispered with tears in her eyes before she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Katniss was slowly woken to the echo of her name being shouted into the air. Another sentence was added to the call but she had a hard time deciphering it. Her body was struggling to keep itself awake, but she had to find out what was going on. She focused to pick up the sounds. The voice belonged to a female but she could not tell who it was, even as she was becoming more alert. It was becoming louder, indicating that whoever it was, they were almost near her. Katniss put away her harness and readied her bow and arrow. She watched as the girl from District 2, Clove, came into view. This was the moment Katniss had waited for. She could take out all the remaining Careers from the safety of the tree she was in. She pulled the arrow taut on the bow. She waited for all the Careers to come into view wondering which one she should take out first. She watched as the girl stopped and put her finger to her lips, signaling for the others to be quiet. Could she sense Katniss' presence?

"Katniss…Katniss…time to come out now. We have your boyfriend."

Katniss gasped and whispered his name. She didn't know what to do. If she shot her arrow at them, one of them was sure to kill Gale. She knew that Gale would want her to take the shot and try to get as many of them as possible. After all, he was going to die eventually. Katniss couldn't face that. She needed just a little more time with him.

"We know you're here. We followed your tracks." Clove shouted. Katniss didn't have time to think of a plan. All she knew was that she needed to get out of the tree and face them. She put away her bow and arrow and quietly scaled down the tree. She armed herself again as she slowly walked to meet them. She tried to sneak behind them but they quickly turned to face her after she stepped on a twig, causing it to break.

"Let him go." she said, her voice void of emotion.

"You think we are going to give up that easy." Clove said laughing. The other Careers joined her. "Lower your weapon or I'll slit his throat."

Katniss did as she said. Maybe if she played her cards right, she could save him.

"Why did you call him my boyfriend?" Katniss asked. She wondered if Clove knew what was going on between her and Gale, or if she was just taunting her.

"Oh please. We heard him talking in his sleep. It was almost sickening having to listen to that shit." Cato interjected. Katniss eyes turned into slivers as she glared at him.

"It was quite a burden keeping him alive. We kept him though so you could watch us kill him. We wouldn't want you to die not knowing what happened." Glimmer said offering fake sympathy.

"Gee, thanks." she sputtered sarcastically. She looked over at Gale to see how he was handling all of this. He looked pretty calm considering he was on the cusp of death. He started mouthing words to her. Words like 'Run' and 'Get out'. She shook her head. She was going to rescue him somehow. It might involve some stupid ideas, but she was going to do it.

"Why don't we swap? You let him go and you can have me." Katniss said.

"Katniss, no!" Gale shouted. Cato walked over and kicked him in the stomach.

"Why would we want that?" Marvel asked.

"I am the one you really want. I took away from all the attention from you in training and interviews. And you'd probably get some good sponsorships for taking out the tribute with the highest training score." she reasoned. She could tell by their expressions that all four Careers were considering the exchange.

"Seems like a fair trade." Clove said. Katniss dropped her weapons and her bag. She walked toward Clove until they were a couple of feet away.

"Release him." Katniss said.

Marvel let go of Gale, who scrambled to his feet. Clove pushed Katniss' shoulder down, causing her to drop to her knees.

"Katniss don't do this. You have to win this thing." Gale said to her.

"I know what I'm doing Gale."

"You don't need to die for me."

"Tell my family I love them, ok?" she said as she turned to look at him.

"Katniss…" Gale started.

"Shut up!" Clove yelled at him.

"So how do you plan on offing me?" Katniss asked Clove before Gale could get in another word.

"You know, I have a special plan for you…how I thought you should die. I must say it's very fitting." Clove said as the corners of her mouth tilted upwards in a sinister grin.

"You've got my attention. What's your plan?" Katniss asked. Clove started walking around Katniss with her hands in her pockets.

"Well I didn't mean to get all sentimental, but I though maybe the people watching might want to see some surprise flames on your clothes just one more time." she said. Katniss felt a shudder surge through her body. This was it. This was how she was going to die. She looked over at Gale one last time. She could tell he was thinking of a way to get her out of it. She shook her head at him, signaling that he should stay put. When Clove was behind Katniss, she pulled a lighter out and set Katniss' back ablaze.

"Goodbye, Girl on Fire." Clove said as she stepped back to join her fellow Careers as they watched her burn.

* * *

**Those Careers are pretty evil aren't they? Let me know what you think about this turn of events.**


	23. Gale to the Rescue

**Happy Hunger...I mean...Olympic Games! I don't know about you, but I am super excited to watch the Opening Ceremonies, even though no costumes will light up with fire (Ralph Lauren is no Cinna).** **Here is another chapter. Sorry it's so short. Next chapter will be longer, I promise!**

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or any of its characters.

* * *

Chapter 23

(_Gale's POV_)

Gale moved so quickly, even he was surprised by his swiftness. He didn't care if the Careers tried to kill him. He had to save her. He tackled her to the ground and rolled around to extinguish the flames. He wasn't sure how bad the damage was but her screams were an indication of the severity. He quickly recovered the knife from her belt, and stood up as he rolled to the side. He had something to take care of. It was easy to take out Clove. His actions caused her to stand as still as a statue. What did she think he was going to do, just watch it all unfold? He cut her throat with the knife and then tracked down the other three. He also managed to track and kill Marvel as well. Two cannons fired. Glimmer and Cato quickly escaped. He wanted to go after them but knew he couldn't leave Katniss alone, nor did he want to.

He sprinted the short distance to her and kneeled next to her. She was lying face down on the ground, crying into her arm.

"Katniss, I'm here. What do I do?" he asked. He had never treated a burn before. He was completely lost. He would have to rely on her for instructions.

"It hurts so much." she choked out. He turned her face towards him.

"Katniss, I know it hurts, but you need to tell me what to do. You know I'm not good at this." Gale said with his eyes locked on hers.

"Take off my jacket and shirt…see how it looks." she responded. She managed to unzip her jacket and he pulled what was left of it off of her. He bunched up the jacket and placed it under her head like a pillow. He then took the knife and cut both sides of her shirt. He carefully tried to take it off but a portion of it was fused to her skin.

"Katniss, it won't come off." Gale said defeated.

"So rip it off." she said without hesitation.

"No…I can't…" he drifted off. He knew how painful it would be. He couldn't do that to her.

"Gale, you have to."

Gale could feel his whole body shaking. He was supposed to protect her, not hurt her. How could she expect him to do this?

"Gale, I will die if you don't do this." she said. He was unsure if this was the truth or a clever lie to make him do it. He counted to three and then proceeded to rip the shirt off her back in one clean motion. Katniss screamed into her jacket to stifle some of the noise but he still detected the pain in her voice. Her cries filled the air. Gale watched as the blood flowed down her back. He used the remnants of the shirt to try to stop the bleeding. Each time he pressed down, she let on a sharp gasp. He laid down next to her. He wished all of this were a dream. He wanted to wake up with her in his embrace on that cliffside. He knew this was reality and he also knew that he would never give up on her.

"Katniss now what?" he asked in a hushed voice.

"How does it looked?"

"It's blistered and bleeding." he said. He tried to think of something he could do. "Katniss do you still have that ointment? We could use that. It would heal it in no time."

"You can't use that on a burn, Gale. It traps the heat in your skin." she said faintly.

"What's next, Katniss?"

"We need to get to some water. It will help reduce the swelling." she said.

"Ok." he replied. He slowly helped her get off the ground. She winced with pain as she started to walk.

"Katniss, what are you doing?" Gale asked as he stopped her.

"Finding water." she said a little disoriented.

"First of all, I not letting you walk all the way to the lake, and second, you are heading the wrong way. The lake is that way." he said as he pointed behind him.

"Gale I'm fine." she said.

"Half of your back is burned; you are not fine." he argued. "Do you think you can hold on if I carry you to the lake?"

"I think so." she responded. After he collected their things, Gale crouched down and Katniss put her arms around his neck. He locked his arms around her legs before he stood up and started the walk to the lake. A mile into their journey, he felt her rest her head against the back of his. He felt her shallow breaths on the back of his neck.

"Katniss what's going on back there?" he asked her. The only response he got from her was a low moan. His tone became more serious. "Katniss, talk to me."

"I can't." she started to say but she cut herself off as her grip around him loosened. Her weight pulled her down towards the ground. Gale contorted his body so she wouldn't pound into the ground. He carefully lowered her to earth, laying her on her side.

"Katniss, come on, wake up." he said desperately as he tapped her cheek. She looked paler than before. She still didn't respond. He lifted her and threw her over his shoulder. He felt the adrenaline pump through his veins as he sprinted towards the lake. He still had another mile to go. He wasn't sure how he did it, but he managed to get there sooner than he thought he would. He dropped the backpack, bow, and quiver on the ground and walked until the water was waist high. He put his one hand behind her neck and his other arm under her legs as he lowered her into the water. He hoped this would help her. Ten minutes went by and she was still unresponsive. He removed her from the water and laid her on her stomach. Gale searched through the backpack, looking for anything that might help. The contents proved to be useless. He slammed the backpack to the ground in frustration and then paced around.

"A little help would be nice!" he shouted with fury into the air. He hoped Haymitch would act quickly. He wondered if they even had any sponsor money left. A half hour passed and nothing had changed. Katniss had not awoken and there were no parcels delivered. Gale had to rely on his own knowledge to save her. He only hoped that he wouldn't be too late.


	24. The Recovery

**Thank you for everyone that reviewed...I love getting feedback! Here is another long chapter. Enjoy!**

****Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or any of its characters.

* * *

Chapter 24

When Katniss woke, it was morning. Her head was turned to towards the lake. She didn't remember them making it there. Everything that occurred after Gale ripped her shirt off her back was a blur. There was still pain emanating from her burnt skin, but it was not unbearable like the day before. She looked towards the lake. It was so tranquil and calm. It looked like a mirror, reflecting the sky and nearby trees. Her attention snapped back to the thought of Gale. Where was he? She croaked out his name. Her voice had still not recovered from her screaming from the day before. There was no response. Panic started to sink in. Where could he be?

"Gale!" she bellowed once more through sobs. She had to get up and look for him. She slowly tried to stand up but she was too weak. Her body was still in trauma. Katniss propped herself up on her arms and looked around. Behind her to the right, she saw him lying on the ground. She dragged her body, as she struggled to make her way towards him. Every few seconds, she repeated his name, hoping he would stir from his slumber. When she was four feet away from him, he snapped out of his sleep.

"Katniss, what are you doing?" he asked as he rushed to her.

"I couldn't remember what happened last night. I had to make sure you were ok."

"I was keeping watch. I clearly didn't make it through the night." he said with a sense of failure in his voice. His tone changed to concern when he asked, "How does your back feel?"

"It's starting to feel a little better. The pain isn't as strong."

"Good, it worked." he said with a smile.

"What worked?" she asked.

"I waited for a remedy to arrive from Haymitch but nothing came so I had to make my own."

"What did you use?" she asked with increased curiosity.

"I crushed mint leaves and added a little water to form a paste. Then, I spread it on your burns."

"That was smart of you." she praised him.

"Yeah, I guess it was." Gale replied as a smile grew on his face.

"Do you have anymore of it? The pain is starting to return."

"No, but I can make more. Let's get you cleaned up first." Gale carried her and sat her by the water. Before he brought her in the lake, he cleaned his shirt in the water and laid it on a nearby boulder. He then returned for her. Gale bent down and put one of his arms under each of her legs. Katniss wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and he lifted her up. He carried her deep enough so her back was submerged under the water.

"What you did yesterday was really stupid." Gale said bluntly. He was never one to sugarcoat things.

"I know."

"But you still did it anyway." he said.

"I couldn't watch them kill you."

"So you decided it was better that I watch you die." he said with a raised voice.

"I decided that you should be the one to be victor, not me."

"You can't just make those decisions, Katniss!" Gale reprimanded her.

"If I remember correctly, you never gave me a choice about which one of us was going to make it out of here alive. You made this elaborate plan about how you were going to get me out of the Games."

"Of course I didn't give you a choice. I know what you would have chosen."

"It wouldn't have mattered anyway." retorted Katniss.

"What do you mean?" Gale asked confused.

"It wouldn't have mattered either way. If I had stood there and watched them kill you, what do you think would have happened next? Do you really think they would have let me go?"

"No," he answered. There was a pause before he added, "but it was irresponsible."

"You do some pretty stupid things when you are in love." she said repeating his words from a few weeks earlier. It was the closest thing she could say to tell him how she felt. For some reason, it was hard to say those three little words to him. _I love you_. It shouldn't be; it's not like it would take that long to say. The emotions behind those words were so powerful. Katniss didn't take that phrase lightly and throw it around easily as some people did. Even though he had already professed his love to her, she was still afraid to tell him how she felt. Maybe it was because of their situation. It was only a matter of time before he was no longer in her life. She thought it might make it easier if she suppressed any indication of how strong her feelings for him had grown.

Gale didn't say anything in response. He just gazed into her eyes. Her eyes remained locked on his. She wondered what he was thinking. Gale was never one to hold back his thoughts, especially not to her. These thoughts were unlike anything he had ever told her before. It was easy for him to drone on about his grievances with the Capitol. This was different. Katniss watched as his expression changed and his eyes averted hers.

"What is it?" Katniss asked him. He shook his head. She pulled herself upward so that her mouth was beside his ear. Her back twitched with pain as she did so, but she had to find out. Perhaps he was afraid to say it for all to hear. She whispered, "It's ok. You can tell me."

It took him a while to decide whether he should confide in her. He put his mouth close to her ear and said, "I don't want to die."

Katniss pulled back to see his expression. A combination of fear, sadness, and defeat showed on his face.

"You don't have to." Katniss started quietly. "You can be the one to go back to District 12."

She watched him as he stood there silently, wondering if he was considering it. She realized he was probably more stunned than anything else.

"I can't believe you would actually say that." he said with a hint of bitterness in his voice. "I wouldn't want to go back there without you. How would you expect me to live there, thinking about you day in and day out? I couldn't do that."

"But you expect me to." Katniss said flatly. She looked down as tears formed in her eyes. Katniss felt Gale release one of his arms from her legs. He brought his hand to her face and wiped away a tear that found its way to her cheek. She found this odd since, instead of drying her tears, he wiped her whole cheek with water. She guessed it was more about the gesture than what he was actually doing.

"I don't want to lose us." he said as he pressed his forehead to hers.

"Me either."

"I want us to go back to District 12 together. I want _this_ to continue." he said as his voice wavered. She could feel his stance waver as well.

"Gale, let's go sit down." she said. He agreed to do so but only after he cleaned the old mint leaves off her back. She tried not to make a big fuss about it, but she couldn't help but wince and gasp as he delicately slid his hand up and down her back.

When he was finished, he carried her to a grassy area and sat her down. He flipped over his drying shirt and then went to retrieve some more mint leaves. Gale returned with a bunch of plants in both hands. He quickly tore the leaves off the plants and placed them in the bowl from her backpack. She quietly watched him as he crushed the leaves with a stone and added water incrementally to get the right consistency. She wished there was something she could say to comfort him but she knew that no words would provide that. When it was ready, he kneeled behind her. He carefully spread the mint salve on her back. It felt cool and made her skin tingle. She felt the pain and heat of the burn escape her. When Gale was finished, he gently blew air from his mouth on her back. Katniss let out a soft moan. It felt so good. She felt him press his face against the back of her neck. Katniss reached back her arm and placed her hand on the back of his head.

"Come here." she said as she stoked the hair just above his neck. He moved slowly until he was in front of her. She crossed her legs and he sat down across from her. She had never seen him look this vulnerable in all the time she had known him.

"I've never seen you like this before." she said breaking the silence.

"Is there something wrong with that?" he asked almost defensively.

"No, just a little out of character. I'm used to strong and stubborn Gale, that's all."

"Gee, thanks." he replied.

'_I think he took that as an insult_.' she thought. "That's not what I meant. I just didn't know that Gale Hawthorne had a sensitive side to him."

"Well I do. Just because you never saw it didn't mean it was never there." he said. She decided it would be best to change the subject.

"I'm still waiting to wake up…for all of this to be a bad dream. It's been too long for it to just be a dream though." she said as she spoke her mind.

"I could pinch you, just to make sure." he offered as he tried to smile.

"No, it's fine. I know this is reality." she said looking down. She felt him cup both of his hands around her face. He closed the space between them as he brought his lips to hers. She welcomed the kiss. This kiss felt different than any kiss they had previously shared. Instead of a kiss that progressed as it went on, there was an undeniable intensity that didn't wane. Perhaps it was because they felt such a sense of urgency to make what could be their final moments count. It was becoming too much for her to take, thinking about how much time they had left together. Her lips started to quiver and she let out a cry. She parted from his lips and buried her face into his shoulder.

"Katniss." Gale whispered.

"What should we do?" she asked hopelessly.

"Unfortunately, we are not in control of the situation." he replied.

"I can't let you die in here."

"One of us has to die in here and it can't be you. There is so much more you have to do in your life."

"Like what?" she asked.

"Everything. Be with your family…find someone to love…have a family of your own."

"But I love you." she said. She couldn't believe she just said that. Hadn't she just thought about how hard it was to say those words? He pulled away from her and looked into her eyes.

"You love me?" he asked, making sure he heard her right.

"Yes." she said nodding her head. A tragic smile appeared on his face.

"I never should have volunteered." he said to her.

"It's not hard to understand why you did." she said.

"I was too impulsive. I thought if I'd volunteer, I could save you. I could make sure that you won."

"That is what you are doing, Gale."

"I'd never thought that I would tell you how I felt about you. I wasn't planning on telling you that."

"I'm glad you did." Katniss said. "I can't help but think of all this wasted time. All the time we could have spent together. You should have told me sooner."

"I was too nervous about losing you. You have been my best friend for 5 years now."

"I would never stop being your friend." she said taking his hand. They both sat together in silence. Even though she had only been awake for a few hours, Katniss already felt exhausted. She rested her elbow on her knee and put her forehead against the palm of her hand. She let out a big sigh as she closed her eyes.

"You should get some rest." Gale said. She nodded. Gale stood up and retrieved his shirt from the boulder. She watched as he took the knife and cut a portion of the back out. He then carefully put the shirt on her and made sure the fabric wasn't touching her burn.

"Thanks." she said.

"Your welcome. Let's get some rest, Katniss." he said as he laid down next to her. She laid with her back facing up and her head against his chest. She felt the sun beating down on her back. The longer she laid there, the worse it became.

"Gale, the sun's hurting my back. Can we move into some shade?" she asked him.

"Of course." he replied. In the distance, he could see a huge oak tree in the meadow beyond the lake. He gathered their possessions and then carried her to the tree. They laid back down in their previous position.

"Better?"

"Yes, much better." she said. She closed her eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Gale was already awake when Katniss woke up. He had one hand on the small of her back, and with the other one, he was stroking the wisps of hair out of her face.

"How long have you been awake?" she asked him.

"The whole time. Someone has to keep watch."

"You can get some sleep now. I'll take over." Katniss said.

"No offense Katniss, but I don't think you are in any condition to defend us." he said with a laugh. It seemed as if his mood had improved. "I'm not tired anyway."

"Well in that case, I could use some water." she said.

Gale helped her as they both sat up. Before he left for the lake, he handed her the bow and quiver just in case. He took the backpack with him and was on his way. Katniss sat and waited for him to return as she scanned the edge of the tree line for any threats. She thought about their morning conversation. She hoped whatever they talked about into the evening would be lighter. She wanted it to be like how it was at home, when they were hunting in the woods. She wanted to joke and laugh again. With all the cameras in arena, she realized that much of what they talked about could not be spoken. They could not speak of hunting, or the Capitol, or the Capitol citizens and their silly accents. She wondered what was left to talk about.

Gale returned 15 minutes later. In addition to the water bottle, he also had a bowl of fish.

"I found some fish in the lake." he said.

"How did you cook them?" she asked as she noticed the char marks on their skin.

"I made a small fire in the forest."

"But I didn't see any smoke." Katniss said confused.

"Good, I was trying to be discrete." he said with a smile. As they were eating, a question popped into Katniss' head.

"Gale, when did you realize you liked me as more than a friend?"

"No." he said shaking his head.

"You won't tell me?" Katniss asked confused.

"It's stupid, really." Gale said. She saw him crack a small smile.

"Please. I could use a good story right now." she said.

"It's not really a good story but I'll tell you. Remember that time when we were running in the Seam and I twisted my ankle?" She noticed he said 'the Seam' instead of 'the woods'. He probably did this to avoid any retaliation from the Capitol.

"Yeah, I remember that. You tripped on a log."

"Well before that, when you were running ahead of me, you looked back and you smiled at me, and that's when everything changed."

"Just from one smile?" she asked.

"Yup. Before I tripped over that log, I almost ran into a tree…twice."

"You did?" she asked with a smile.

"Yeah. I had just found out that I had feelings for my best friend. I was caught off guard."

"I still can't believe you kept your feelings a secret all that time. Out of all the times we spent together, did you ever think about telling me?"

"In the beginning…yes, there were a few times I came close, but I just froze. The longer I waited, the more difficult it became to tell you, and then I just accepted that I would never let you know." he said.

"Well you must have forgotten about me very quickly." Katniss remarked. Gale gave her a look of confusion.

"What make you think that?" he asked her.

"I know that there were other girls."

"It was just a little flirting, Katniss. There's no harm in that." he said.

Katniss questioned how true that statement was. She had heard rumors about him in school but was unsure about their validity. Some of them had to be true. She thought back to one incident in particular involving Bonnie Brixton. The previous year, rumors floated around that her and Gale had been seen together a lot, both inside and out school. Katniss had even witnessed the two on them flirting on one occasion. As with all the other girls, the flirting didn't last for long. About two weeks in, he stopped talking to her.

**_*Flashback*_**

Katniss walked down the empty hall in school by herself. She had just finished taking a test she missed the day before. She was stunned when Bonnie came from behind her and slammed her into the row of lockers.

"This is all your fault!" Bonnie shouted at her in tears.

"My…what?" Katniss asked confused as she tried to recover from having the wind knocked out of her.

"Don't try to act all innocent. You know exactly what I am talking about!"

"Bonnie, what is going on?"

"What did you say to him? You must have told him something because he wants nothing to do with me now."

"Gale?" Katniss asked. It was the only logical answer.

"Yes, Gale! What did you tell him about me?"

"We never talked about you, I swear." Katniss said. Bonnie glared at her while she thought things through.

"You might think that I don't know what you are doing, but I am onto you." Bonnie said.

"Maybe you could fill me in." Katniss said bluntly.

"You're trying to act all cutesy by pretending to be his friend, but I know you are just waiting for the right moment to swoop in and claim him."

"I can assure you that's not going to happen." Katniss said rolling her eyes.

"He's the hottest guy in school. Why wouldn't you want to be with him?"

"Because I don't see him like that."

"I swear if I find out that you are with him, I will come after you!" Bonnie shouted before she stormed off.

**_*End Flashback*_**

"What are you thinking about?" Gale asked as he noticed she had been quiet for way too long.

"I was thinking about where we should sleep tonight." Katniss said.

"You're lying."

"How do you know?" she asked.

"Because I always know when you are lying." he said with a satisfied grin.

"It wasn't anything important." she said as she playfully pushed his shoulder. She winced with pain as the movement caused her back to ache.

"See, maybe you should be a little nicer to me." Gale teased. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at him. "You look so cute when you're angry."

"Whatever, Gale." she said as she rolled her eyes at him.

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**Hope you liked this Chapter and it helped shed some light on what Katniss is going through. I will try to update sometime this week. **

**Also, just wanted to let you know that I will be writing a sequel to this story. It will take place after the Games have ended and will include the Quarter Quell (just like Catching Fire). There will be twists, of course ;)**


	25. The Showdown

**Thanks for the reviews...it's nice knowing people are looking forward to the sequel. I have some nice plans worked out for that already, it's just a matter of writing it all down! :)**

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or any of its characters.

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Chapter 25

Three more days had passed in the arena. On the second day, the girl from District 7 had perished. The only remaining tributes were Katniss, Gale, Glimmer, and Cato. Katniss was just waiting for the Gamemakers to make their move to drive the four of them together. She didn't know why they were taking so long. Maybe they were waiting until she was well enough to fight. It would be the final battle and they'd want to make it entertaining for the citizens of Panem.

Katniss had started feeling better. She finally had enough energy to stand up and move around and even her burns had started to heal. A blow to the back would still cause blinding pain, she thought. Gale and her had moved away from the meadow and made their way aimlessly through the forest to hunt and to keep them concealed. That night, the Gamemakers decided to turn down the temperature in the arena to make it the coldest night yet. They huddled together at the trunk of a large tree to try to block the wind.

"We could really use that sleeping bag about now, ey, Catnip." Gale said. He always tried to make light of serious situations.

"Gale, I'm still cold." Katniss said as her shivered in his arms. Unfortunately, Gale and Katniss had only the clothes on their backs. She heard zipper of his jacket start to unzip. She placed her hand over the zipper. "No, Gale, it's all you have."

"Well I can't let you freeze. Here, we'll share it." he compromised as he unzipped it the remainder of the way. He opened the jacket and wrapped it around the sides of her.

"Katniss, you _are_ freezing." he said as he felt her icy limbs wrap around his waist.

"We have to build a fire." she stated.

"That's what they want us to do." he replied.

"We won't make it through the night if we don't." she said.

"There has to be another way we could keep warm." he said, as he tried to think of an alternate.

"We could go for a run." Katniss suggested.

"Katniss, it's almost midnight…I think." Gale said. Without the watch from the other backpack, they had no exact way to tell time.

"You just don't think you can beat me." Katniss teased as she lightly pushed him away and stood up.

"Oh you want to race." he said with a laugh as he stood to meet her. He zipped his jacket and put on the backpack. "Ok, you're on." Gale said as he started to run.

"Hey!" Katniss said as she chased after him. She quickly caught up with him. "Make sure you don't run into any tree trunks."

"I knew I should have never told you that." he said with a smile. Katniss ran ahead of him. She made sure she didn't run too far ahead of him so she wouldn't lose him again. After a mile, he caught up with her again and kissed her on the cheek before he passed her.

"Gale, wait!" she said as she sprinted to catch up with him. He slowed down a little for her. She took his hand and they ran together through the woods. She could see a clearing ahead of them. The moon shone down on the golden horn in the center of the clearing. They were back at the Cornucopia. Katniss and Gale walked until they were inside the horn.

"It's warm in here." Gale said. Katniss could feel the warm air circulating inside the horn, almost as if it was actually heated like the inside of a house.

"I knew that run would pay off." Katniss said as she sat down on the innermost part of the Cornucopia.

"Let's get some sleep, Katniss." Gale said lying down next to her. Katniss laid down on her side and faced him. Their eyes fixed on each other in the dim light of the Cornucopia. Gale wrapped his arm around her lower back and moved closer to her.

"This is it, isn't it Gale?" Katniss said softly.

"Yes it is. We'll talk about it tomorrow." he said before kissing her cheek. He closed his eyes and Katniss did the same. She knew tomorrow was an important day.

* * *

Katniss managed to sleep that night without any disruptions. She was thankful the nightmares had stayed away. She needed her rest for this important day. She knew today was the day they would have to face the Careers. Gale was still asleep so she decided to walk to the mouth of the Cornucopia and survey her surroundings. A string of thoughts streamed through her head as she walked around the perimeter of the horn.

'_Today I will be brave._' she thought. She realized as she continued her walk that she hadn't really executed what she promised in her interviews. Up to this moment, she couldn't think of any impressive thing she had done to capture the attention of the citizens of Panem. The Girl on Fire had been extinguished somewhere along the way between her interview and where she stood now. No wonder she didn't receive any burn medicine. So far, she had managed to kill a tribute (two if you count Foxface), save her best friend's life, and fall in love. In the eyes of the Capitol citizens, this wasn't enough. She knew they wanted adventure and excitement. They wanted tributes attacking one another. Today she would have her shot.

When Katniss reached the opening of the Cornucopia, Gale was awake. He looked surprising calm considering how much he worried about her in the arena. She saw him smile as she walked up to him.

"What?" she asked as she stood in front of him.

"You look like the old Katniss." he said.

"And how is that?" she asked, unsure of what he meant.

"Fearless." he clarified as he stood in front of her.

"I'm ready." she said with confidence. "What's our plan?"

"What makes you think I have one?"

"Because you always have a plan…for everything."

"I might have thought one up last night." he said.

"Let's hear it then." Katniss said.

"It's not very elaborate or anything. I think we should stay here and wait for the Gamemakers to bring them to us. Then I will take out Cato and you will take out Glimmer."

"You make it sound so easy." Katniss replied.

"It's best not to over think these things."

"Hey Gale, where is my bow?" Katniss asked as she looked around the ground of the Cornucopia.

"I thought you had it." he said. Panic than anger set inside Katniss. He was in charge of transporting everything. How could he have forgotten it? She would not let her emotions show through. She would not yell at him or blame him. She would have to rely on another way to kill Glimmer. She walked to the back wall, which still had some weapons hanging from it.

"Katniss please don't be mad at me."

"I didn't say anything." Katniss said keeping her voice steady.

"You didn't have to." Gale blabbed. It was times like this when Katniss hated how well Gale knew her. He could look past all the layers, right down to the very core of her. She studied the weapons that remained, ignoring the desire to tell him what she was really thinking. Each one ensured that hand to hand combat would be a factor. She quickly passed the spiked mace hanging from the wall. In training, she feared having to use that weapon. Nearby she found some small daggers. She remembered how horrible she had performed at knife throwing station. She couldn't imagine trying to hit a moving target.

"We could go back and get the bow and arrows." Gale said as he walked up next to her.

"No it's fine. I'll use something else." she said grabbing the mace. She took a few swings at the side of the Cornucopia. The metal walls let out a loud gong as she hit them. When she was finished, she retrieved the daggers and attached them to her belt. She sat outside in the field, waiting for the Careers to find them. She lightly touched a spike on the mace. The tip of the spikes were rounded, probably to make the owner of the weapon to put a lot of effort into killing another tribute. Being struck repeatedly with the mace could be enough to make it a lethal weapon.

"I'm sorry." Gale said as he sat down next to her.

"It's ok." Katniss replied.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes." Katniss snapped. A minute later, Gale broke the silence.

"Why aren't you talking to me?"

"I'm figuring out a strategy since I have a weapon I have barely used before."

"But you were good with it. I saw you in training. You hit the moving target every time."

"Yes, but I hate this." she said motioning towards the mace.

"Why is that?"

"Because it's cruel."

"Aren't all weapons?" Gale asked. Katniss rolled her eyes at him. She didn't need him acting smart with her. She stood up and practiced different ways to hold and swing the mace. There was no target to hit, just the air. When she felt like she had a good handle on the weapon, she joined Gale.

"I can see why they gave you an 11." Gale said.

"Why?"

"Because you are the best."

'_The best at what?_' she thought to herself. She didn't know why but this comment made her angry. '_Anger might be good now._' It could be just what she needed to give her the courage and strength to repeatedly beat someone with the mace. She hoped that the Careers would show up soon. She didn't know how much longer she could wait for them.

About two hours passed before Cato and Glimmer finally came into view. They ran out of the forest as if they were being chased by something. Katniss squinted her eyes as she tried to make out whatever the Gamemakers sent after them. It was too hard to see, whatever it was. As soon as the Careers crossed the launch platforms, a wall of fire blasted up from the ground. It extended around the platforms, creating a ring of flames about 20 feet high. They were trapped. Katniss readied herself by standing up and lifted her weapon. Cato and Glimmer slowly approached. Cato had a sword in his hand while Glimmer had a long, serrated knife (the same kind that Gale was prepared to use in the fight).

Despite this scene in front of her, Katniss felt a little relieved. She was glad she was fighting Glimmer instead of Clove. Clove had always scared her…she seemed so disaffected to the violence and killing, and was very vicious. Katniss wondered how the fight would start. Would there be an exchange of words or would they just attack? Cato and Glimmer stopped ten feet away from them.

"No bow and arrows?" Cato said with a look of satisfaction.

"I didn't want to make it too easy to kill you." Katniss shot back. Cato laughed.

"That's really brave of you…to think that you still have a chance here." he spouted back.

"Remind me, which one of us got the highest training score?" she asked. Katniss wished it were only her and Cato right now. She'd enjoy beating the life out of him at this moment.

"I still think that was a fluke. What could you have possibly done to score an 11? Shooting an arrow into a target isn't enough for that."

"Depends on what the target was, I guess." Katniss replied with a mischievous grin.

"What did you hit?" he asked with fervor.

"Like I would ever tell you." she said with a laugh. She could tell it was bothering him, not knowing what she did during that final training session. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. It was a risky move but she didn't care. She wanted to fight him. "I changed my mind. If you can beat me, I will tell you."

"Katniss." Gale said throwing her a look.

"I can beat him." she said in a low voice.

"What if you die before you can tell me?" Cato questioned.

"I guess you'll have to make sure that I don't die too quickly." Katniss answered. '_This is good_.' she thought. He'd have to be careful to hit her in a place where she wouldn't die instantly.

"Katniss, can we have a word." Gale muttered angrily.

"Go ahead. I'll let you say your goodbyes." Cato sputtered. Gale grabbed Katniss' arm and pulled her further out of earshot.

"Are you insane!" Gale snapped at her.

"I want to do this. Ever since the Games started, he was the only person I wanted to eliminate."

"He's stronger than you."

"But I am smarter than him. I saw him in training. I know all his moves. He's so predictable."

"I don't care." Gale said.

"Great comeback, Gale. I'm going to need your help."

"I'll take out Glimmer, then help you."

"No, that's not what is going to happen. I am going to need you to do some acting."

"I don't understand."

"You will in a minute." she said. She knew Cato wouldn't just let Gale sit back and watch. They walked back to meet Cato and Glimmer. "Ok I'm ready now."

"What sort of plan did you two just work out there." Cato said slyly.

"There is no plan."

"How do I know he's not going to join in after we start fighting?"

"Because I told him not to." Katniss said. Cato started laughing once again.

"You think I'm that dull. Why don't we eliminate the competition before we end this." he said. He pulled Glimmer close to him. Her eyes widened and she struggled to break his grip.

"Ok, on the count of three. 1…2…3." Katniss said. Katniss took the mace and hit Gale in the back. Luckily, he saw this coming and managed to play along so she didn't have to hit him hard. He fell to the ground facing away from Cato. Katniss looked up and saw that Cato had stabbed Glimmer right in the heart. Katniss drew out her dagger.

"This is going to hurt." Katniss told Gale through gritted teeth. She cut a line near his collarbone, deep enough to draw blood, to make it appear as if she had slit his throat. Gale let out a quick gasp and then ceased any kind of movement. Katniss walked back towards Cato with the bloody dagger in her hand.

"I didn't think you had it in you." Cato said.

"I am full of surprises, aren't I?" Katniss said grinning. Katniss wondered why the canon hadn't gone off yet...maybe they were waiting until the end of the battle. She was thankful that Cato had not thought about this.

"Looks like it's just the two of us now. I would wish you luck only I wouldn't really mean it."

"I don't need luck. I know I can beat you." she said, assured that she would win. Katniss watched as Cato heaved his sword above his head and charged at her. At the right moment, Katniss spun out of the way and rammed the mace into his back. He fell down but quickly got back up. He turned around and swung his sword at her. She deflected it with the mace. Cato tried again. This time the sword grazed her outer thigh. It hurt, but it wasn't enough to keep her from fighting. She swung the mace in the air a few times, gaining speed. She then hit him right in the stomach. He fell back and laid on the ground. She walked up to him, as he lay immobile. When she stood next to Cato, he grabbed her legs and took her to the ground. Katniss winced as her back hit the earth. Katniss scrambled to get away but he was too quick. Cato pinned her to the ground and threw her mace to the side.

"How did you do it?" he asked her.

"You haven't won yet."

She watched as he raised the sword above his head. He forced it down towards her. Katniss managed to shift to the left to avoid it and drove her elbow into his ribcage. He curled up in pain, allowing for Katniss to be freed. She quickly ran to retrieve the mace and raced back towards him. He attempted to get up when Katniss stuck his back several times. She could hear the pain in his voice as the mace made contact each time. When he tried to get up, she kicked him back to the ground. This time, she aimed the weapon at his ribcage. She could hear a rib or two crack after the second impact. She didn't care though. He deserved this. She hit him a few more times before she straddled his abdomen. He let out a painful gasp as she put her weight on him. She threw the mace to the side and drew the dagger from her belt.

'_This is it._' she thought. She looked down at Cato. She couldn't help but noticing how afraid he looked. '_Stop it Katniss. Of course he's afraid. He's going to die_.' She still couldn't shake how she felt about this. He didn't look like the fierce warrior that he had been portrayed as during the extent of the Games. He looked like a boy who just wanted to go home. She felt sympathy start to seep in but then her mind went back to the bloodbath at the Cornucopia. He killed Rue. She had to know why.

"Why did you kill her?" Katniss asked forcefully.

"Who?"

"Rue…the little girl from District 11."

"I had to." he said faintly.

"What do you mean you had to? She was completely harmless!" Katniss shouted as her emotions got the best of her.

"She wanted revenge."

"Who did?" a baffled Katniss asked.

"Clove. Her brother was a Peacekeeper in District 11. They killed him one day when they were protesting about something. She told me what she was going to do to that girl and I couldn't let her." he said.

"Peacekeepers don't come from District 2. They are from the Capitol."

"Do any of them look like they are from the Capitol?" he asked her. Katniss thought about this for a few seconds. All the Peacekeepers she had come across looked pretty normal. There were no hints of a Capitol accent in their voices. Maybe he was telling the truth. She thought more about Cato. Who was he? What was he really like? Maybe he was just a product of his environment. The Career districts conditioned their children to think and act a certain way. She wondered what he would be like if he had been raised in another District. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard him gasp through his shallow breaths.

"You can finish me off whenever you're ready." he said. She sat in silence. This was a lot harder than she thought it would be.

"You really want to know how I did it?" she asked him. He nodded his head. She lowered the dagger to his throat just to be safe. Then, she lowered her face toward his ear. She still didn't want anyone else to know how she got that almost perfect score. She whispered to him about how she shot the apple out of the pig's mouth that the Gamekeepers had been standing around. When she sat back up, she saw a smile grow on his face.

"I'm surprised they didn't give you a 12 for that." he said with a smirk.

"Well, nobody's perfect." she said looking off into the distance.

"Katniss, just do it already." he said. Something bothered her about the way he said her name. There was no animosity there. She looked him in the eyes and couldn't bring herself to do it. Not after the new information she learned about him.

"I can close my eyes." he said as he lowered his eyelids. She knew she had to do it soon. Suddenly, she heard two cannons sound. How could he have died? He wasn't even bleeding. She lifted his shirt to find that bright blue and dark purple bruises had already formed on his skin. She did that. He must have bled internally. Or maybe one of his broken ribs punctured his lungs. Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt Gale pull her off of Cato.

"You did it, Katniss!" he said happily. Katniss couldn't move. The shock had set in. "Katniss, what's wrong?" Gale asked her worried.

Katniss tried to say something but her mouth couldn't form the words. She started to think about The Hunger Games…how wrong they were. How they pitted each tribute against each other, making them think they should hate each other. They were all just trying to do their best to survive. And this was all done for entertainment. She heard Gale ask her again what was wrong.

"I'm fine." she said.

"Come on, Katniss, we have to get out of here." he said as he took her hand and helped her off the ground. She looked around and saw the flames had vanished. They ran through the woods as they heard the hovercraft. Katniss didn't know how she managed to even stay on her feet. Everything was a blur. She held onto Gale's hand and let him guide her through the maze of trees. She wondered where he was leading her. Why were they running? She lost her footing and slammed into the ground, jolting Gale back with her.

"Katniss what's wrong with you? Did he do something to you?"

"No. His sword cut me a little."

"Where?" he asked. She showed him her leg. It wasn't a deep cut or anything. Nothing to make her behave like this.

"I can't stay awake." she said.

"You have to." Gale said.

"Gale, what's happening to me?" she asked. She was scared.

"I don't know." he muttered. He took the water bottle out of the pack and flushed her wound with the remaining water. He picked her up and started to run. "Hold on, Katniss." She tried to keep her eyes open but it was a struggle. Sleep seemed so good now. Each time she closed her eyes, it took a little longer to open them. Then, they wouldn't open at all and she felt shroud of tranquility fall upon her.

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**What did you think of the battle? I was having a little writer's block on what to do for that. I hope you like the way I went with it. There will probably be about 3 more chapters of this story and then, onto the sequel!**


	26. Only Two Remain

**Hello! Thanks again to all those who reviewed! I know some of you are confused that there has been no rule change yet. Don't worry, it's intentional. You'll just have to wait and see what will happen now that Katniss and Gale are the only two left. ;) This chapter also has some Gale POV at the end. Enjoy!**

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or any of its characters.

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Chapter 26

When Katniss woke up, the lower half of her body was submerged in the water at the edge of the lake. Gale was scrubbing her wound with the sleeve of his jacket.

"Gale." she said softly.

"Katniss." he said as stopped scrubbing and pulled her close to his chest.

"What happened?" she asked.

"The blade of the sword must have been laced with something." he said breaking the embrace to look at her.

"Why did it take to long to go into effect?" she asked him.

"It just nicked you. It must have taken some time before it activated."

"Am I going to be ok now?" Katniss wondered.

"Yes. I flushed out your cut. You should be fine. Here drink this." he said as he handed her a bottle of water. When she finished her drink she started removing her clothes.

"What are you doing?" Gale asked her.

"Cleaning myself…I feel disgusting." she answered. When she was down to her undergarments, she dove into the water. It took her a while to wash out all the dirt that had accumulated in her braid. She then rubbed the water over her face and her body until most of the dirt and sweat had been washed away. She left herself air dry for a little before putting her clothes back on. She also left her hair down instead of opting for the usual braid. Once she was dressed, Gale resumed their conversation.

"So what happened?" he asked. She remembered he couldn't see what was happening. He had his back toward them the whole time.

"I beat him." she said.

"I know but how?"

"With the mace. Sorry if I don't feel like going through a play-by-play." she said. She was silent until something crossed her mind. "Hey Gale, how far away are we from that cliff…the one where we watched the sunset?"

"It's about a two hour walk."

"I'd like to see one more sunset from there." she said.

"Do you think you could make it on that leg?" he asked her.

"Yes. It feels fine."

"Let's search for something to eat around here first. There wasn't much up that way last time." Gale said. They walked in the general direction of the cliff while they searched. After not being about to find food in the first mile, they decided to split up. In 5 minutes, they would meet back from where they separated.

Katniss walked around until she saw a bush of something. As she approached the plant, she noticed there were dark colored berries hanging from the branches. She plucked one of them off and held it up to the sky. It was dark as the night sky, even when she held it up to the light.

"Nightlock." she whispered. It felt strange to actually hold it between her fingers. The last time she had done so, she was seven and was hunting with her father in the woods outside of District 12. She held the berry up to her father, just as she was doing now, and asked him what it was called. She had never seen her father that worried in his life. He asked her if she had eaten any of the berries, to which she replied 'No.' He explained to her what nightlock was and what it would do to you if you ate it. From that day on, he made a rule that she would point to, not touch, anything that she was unfamiliar with when they were in the woods.

Katniss wondered how many berries it would take to kill her. If she grabbed a few more off the plant and swallowed them, this could all be over. She could save him. He could go home to his family in District 12. As she turned back to the nightlock plant, she saw Gale standing a short distance from her. She wondered how long he had been standing there. She could see the anger in his face.

"Drop it." he demanded. She did as he said. He walked up to her.

"I was just inspecting it." she lied.

"You know what nightlock looks like, Katniss. You taught me about it, remember?" She had forgotten about that. On their second meeting, she told him about it and showed him what it looked like.

"I wasn't going to eat it, Gale."

"Then why were you going to reach for more." he asked her.

"I wasn't."

"I know how you think. You had that look in your eye." he said. She wondered what 'look' he was talking about.

"Just drop it, ok Gale?" she said as she started walking back towards the path. They walked in silence, not even looking at each other. Katniss found a strawberry patch and they rested as they ate the berries. She thought about how stupid it was for them to be mad at a time like this. She walked over to him, knelt beside him, and leaned in for the kiss. Gale moved his head to the side. She could see he was still angry with her. She tried again but he shifted around again. On the third time, she managed to plant her lips on his but he pushed her away.

"Why must you always be so stubborn?" he asked her.

"I am the one being stubborn?" Katniss asked with a furrowed brow. She could feel her blood begin to boil.

"Yes, you know what I want but you won't accept it."

"Why don't I get a say in this?"

"Because I volunteered for you." he said as he threw his hands up in the air in frustration.

"I still don't see how that matters."

"I knew what I was getting into when I volunteered. I knew it would be a death sentence."

"You also knew that you weren't suppose to do that. You promised me you would take care of them. Who even knows if I'll have anyone to go home to."

"You know they are being taken care of."

"I'm not so sure about that anymore." she said shooting him a look of concern.

"He said he would."

"Well I haven't had a good track record of promises being kept lately." she said as she leaned back, resting her head against the tree. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to compose herself. When she opened them, she saw Gale sitting next to her, facing her.

"Give me one good reason why I should let you have your way." he told her calmly. She sat in silence, not knowing what to say. She had no logical reason for wanting him to be victor; she just knew that it's how she wanted it to be. She knew she had to say something, though.

"Because I care about you just as much as you care about me. And just because you're a guy doesn't mean you have to act all noble and save me."

"I don't mean to. I guess it comes naturally to me." he said with a hint of sarcasm. Katniss smiled as she shook her head.

"Your turn." she said, wanting him to answer the question he asked her.

"I want to save you because it's the only thing I could ever give to you." he said in all seriousness.

"That's not true…you've given me so much these past 5 years. You helped me to survive." she said. "When my father died, I felt so lost. You were there to listen to me, and to comfort me. You helped me to be able to laugh again. You helped me to carry on with my life."

"I always thought that I could be there to protect you."

"It's not you job, Gale."

"It's the only thing I've ever felt sure about in my life though. I know you don't always need it. You'd do fine without me, but on those occasions you do, it makes me feel like I have a purpose."

"I'm sorry about earlier." she said. She knew she wasn't being entirely truthful, but she knew it would make him feel better and keep the conversation from getting any more personal. He nodded his head, accepting her apology.

"We have better start walking if we want to make that sunset." Gale said standing up. He helped Katniss to her feet and they continued their climb. They reached the cliff just before the sun had started to set. They walked to the edge of the cliff and dangled their legs over the edge. Gale put his arm around her and she leaned into him.

"It's beautiful." Katniss said as she saw the colors swirl together in the sky.

"I guess." Gale said. She looked at him. "You know it's not real."

It was true. The Gamemakers controlled everything in the arena down to sky. Perhaps they were indulging her by giving her one last sunset since they knew she'd lose her best friend by the end of the next day. She didn't want to admit it, but there was still a shard of hope that they would intervene and save them both. It was highly unlikely. She wondered if she could still make an impression. Even if she couldn't change their minds, maybe she could sway the citizens of the Capitol. They were known for scrutinizing the Gamekeepers on decisions they didn't agree with. Maybe they would give them hell for separating a young couple so in love. She turned to Gale, put her hand on the back of his neck and pulled his head towards her to kiss him. It felt good to kiss him, especially since he had pushed her away earlier. All of the anger and resentment between the two of them was gone.

"I love you, Katniss." he murmured to her.

"I love you, too, Gale." she said. It felt good to actually be able to say those words out loud. They then focused their eyes on the horizon as the sun sank lower and lower. The anthem started playing and Glimmer and Cato's faces appeared in the sky. Katniss and Gale appeared side by side under the remaining victors. They left the edge of the cliff and found a place to sleep on the edge of the forest, where the ground wasn't made of rock. They laid down, holding onto each other.

"Katniss, will you sing something for me?" Gale asked

"Gale…"

"Please?" he added. She guessed she could sing just one more song for him. She knew exactly what song she wanted to sing. It was a song from the Dark Days that had been passed down from generation to generation in the Everdeen family. Her father had told her it was the anthem of the rebellion. As she sung the lyrics, she wondered if anyone would recognize it. The rebellion had ended long ago. The words alone would probably give away that it was a song that was banned by the Capitol. She didn't even care about the consequences she would face for singing this. The Capitol would cut off the broadcast before she finished the song.

"Where is that song from?" Gale asked after she had finished.

"It was from a long time ago." Katniss said in a daze. She wanted to stay awake and continue to talk to him, but she was too exhausted from the day's events. She closed her eyes. "Goodnight Gale."

"Goodnight."

* * *

**(Gale POV)**

Gale was jostled awake by Katniss in the middle of the night.

"Katniss, what's wrong?" he asked in a panic as he shot up from his slumber.

"You were having a nightmare." she stated.

"I don't remember."

"Well you were. You kept on tossing around and saying my name."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's nothing compared to all the times you had to snap me out of my nightmares." she said. "Gale, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, Catnip, ask away."

"Have you ever done it?" Katniss asked him. He wasn't expecting that.

"Done it?" he said with a raised brow.

"Have you ever had sex?" she whispered.

"I know what you meant." he said with a chuckle. Even in the low lighting, he could see her cheeks redden. "Why do you want to know that?"

"I just wanted to know if the rumors were true." she said sheepishly.

"Yes, Katniss, I have." he admitted.

"Ok, that's what I thought."

"You know, you were part of the rumors sometimes." he said. She looked at him with a confused expression.

"What do you mean?"

"People were quick to jump to conclusions about how we spent our time."

"You and me? That's ridiculous."

"Is it though? Think about all the times they probably saw us running off together to the meadow or all those times we found each other for quick conversations in the hall at school."

"But it wasn't like that."

"They didn't know."

"You told them it wasn't true though, right?" she asked him.

"Of course I did." he answered. It was hard to hold back his smile but he managed to do so. He didn't always dispel the rumors when people confronted him about them. Maybe it was because a part of him always wanted for them to be true.

"Is there anything else you're dying to ask me?" Gale inquired as he brushed some fallen strands of hair behind her ear.

"No, just that. This is our last night together, isn't it?" she asked quietly.

"Yes…you know it is." he replied. She looked so sad. He hated to see her like this. "This will all be over and you'll get to be with Prim again."

"But you won't be there."

"You'll have everything you could ever want. You won't need me."

"That's not true." she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and looked into his eyes.

"You'll never have to worry about your family starving ever again."

"Some things are more important than others." she said.

"I remember you telling me once that that was the most important thing." he said softly.

"Yeah, well, that was before…" she trailed off. Gale brushed away tears that streaked her cheeks. He then ran his fingers through her hair as he leaned in and kissed her. He felt her hands slowly glide down the front of his body before they rested on the buckle of his belt. He could feel her slowly start to unhinge the buckle from the leather strap.

"Katniss what are you doing?" he asked her between kisses. She ignored him and continued what she was doing. "Katniss, stop." he said with authority. She looked up at him with a hurt expression.

"It's not happening." he said a little softer.

"You don't want to?" she asked timidly. This crushed him. Of course he wanted to. At times, it was the only thing he could think about. Right now wasn't the time or place though.

"Not here." he replied kissing her cheek.

"Why not?" she asked him.

"Because it's not something I want all of the world to see. It should be private." he explained.

"But it's our only chance."

"I know." he said. He would never get to be with the only girl he ever cared about.

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**Question: For the sequel, I am considering writing in the first person from Katniss' POV (like the original books). What do you think? Should I keep it the same (3rd person) or change it up (1st person)? PM me or include your answer in your review :)**


	27. The Games End

**As always, thanks for the reviews! Only 2 chapters to go and then the sequel will begin! I'm still trying to think of a Title for the story (hate trying to figure that out!). **

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or any of its characters.

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Chapter 27

After an almost sleepless night, Katniss could no longer lay around. She stood up and sat by the edge of the cliff. They only had a matter of hours before the Gamemakers would try to force a victory. She tried to think of a plan. Trying to break out of the arena would be impossible so that was out of the picture. Why couldn't there just be two victors for once, even if it had never happened in the 73 Games that preceded it?

She also thought about something else that hadn't happened since the inception of the games: there had never been a year where there wasn't a victor to crown. If she could convince Gale to go along with her on this, it would cause so much chaos in Panem. What would they do without a victor? There would be no Victory Tour to remind the citizens of how the Capitol controlled them. It might even give the districts enough time to plan an uprising before the next Hunger Games took place. Maybe Gale and her could end this for good.

Katniss looked down at the ground below the cliff. It was a good 200 feet to the bottom. The fall would definitely be enough to kill them. Now she just needed to think of a way to persuade Gale to accept this as the new plan. She knew he hated the Capitol more than any other person she had ever met. If she told him how this could help overthrow the Capitol, maybe he would want to be in on it. She looked behind her and saw Gale starting stir. She walked over to him and knelt beside him.

"Gale, wake up." she said sweetly as she stroked his cheek. His eyes slowly opened and grinned warmly. At least he appeared to be in a good mood.

"I was having a dream about you."

"A good one?"

"Yes." he said. She didn't pry to find out what exactly happened in the dream. She had to stay focused on their current situation.

"I have a plan." she whispered into his ear. He looked at her with intrigue. Katniss led him to a wall of stone near the edge of the cliff. There were no cameras embedded in the rock, leaving them a safe distance away. She didn't want the cameras to pick up any sound as she whispered her plan. She told him about her idea to jump off the cliff to ensure that there would be no victor. She elaborated about how this could be just what the citizens of Panem needed to spark a new rebellion. They could help create a new Panem, where people could be free to do what they wanted.

"What if it doesn't work? What if nothing happens?" Gale whispered.

"You've always said that someone needs to stand up to the Capitol. Why shouldn't it be us? Everyone is watching us right now to see what we do next. We have the control right now." She watched him as he processed all the information.

"Ok." he simply said.

"Really?" Katniss asked, surprised.

"Yes. As much as I hate it, you are right."

"Thank you, Gale." she said. Even though he gave his approval, she could see the frown etched on his face.

"Cheer up, Gale." she said pinching his cheeks. The hardness on his features quickly melted away. He looked at her with a longing she had never seen before.

"You make it so hard to stay mad at you. You know that right?" he said as he cupped her cheek in his hand.

She looked up to see his eyes fixed on her. As she looked up at him, she took in his features. She had always known that girls in District 12 had always found him attractive but she never really took the time to figure out why. His best feature was definitely those piercing gray eyes of his; eyes that could tell you exactly what he was thinking without speaking a word. She currently saw an intensity that had never been matched in all the time she had known him.

Her gaze dropped down to his mouth. His lips were fuller than most of the guys she knew but not so large that they were out of proportion with his flawless face. It's probably what made him such a good kisser. She brought her hand up to his face and traced his lower lip with her thumb. She wasn't sure why she had done that. He must have taken it as a cue, because he lowered his head until his lips connected with hers. He pushed her body again the wall of rock behind them and pressed his body against hers. She was surprised she couldn't feel any pain in her back as he did so. Maybe because she was so focused on the movement of his lips with hers. Katniss wrapped her hands around the back of his neckline as she stroked the hair on the nape of his neck. She felt his hands trace the outline of her body until they rested on her hips. His lips left hers and then made contact with her neck. Her heart began to race and her breathing accelerated. Short breaths escaped from her each time his mouth made contact with her neck. His lips then returned to hers for a few short kisses and then Gale rested his forehead against hers.

"I thing we'd better stop before I change my mind." he said. She was unsure if he was referring to sex or their plan.

"Ok." was all Katniss could say. They walked to the center of the cliff's ledge, about 20 feet back. They both looked at each other one last time. She felt Gale reach for her hand and he intertwined his fingers with hers. He counted to three and they ran in unison before leaping off the edge. Katniss closed her eyes as she glided through the air. She had never felt so free in her life. Suddenly, she felt herself bump into something causing her grip on Gale's hand to be broken. She felt herself being propelled upwards. She opened her eyes to see that she was being hurled back to her starting point on the cliff. Her whole body ached as she hit the rock. Gale landed several feet from her.

"Katniss, are we dead?" he asked as he let out a soft groan.

"I don't think so." she said as she slowly propped herself up. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine. What about you?" he asked her.

"Same. What was that?" she asked with curiosity. She watched as Gale picked up a small rock and launched it toward the ground. Seconds later, the rock returned and Gale caught it in his hand.

"What?" Katniss asked more confused than ever.

"It's a force field." he replied.

"What does it do?"

"It acts as a buffer. They had one on the roof of the Training Center too in case a tribute got the notion to jump off the roof. I guess the Gamemakers didn't want death to come too easily to the tributes this year."

"What happens now?" she asked him. Gale walked towards her and sat beside her.

"We stick to the original plan." he answered. She knew it had to be this way; that they couldn't keep attempting to die together. The Gamemakers could catch on to what they were really trying to do and intervene.

"Does it still have to be you?" she asked him.

"Yes." There was silence between them. "I know it's going to be hard at first Katniss, but I know you'll be able to overcome this. You are strong. Don't let this change you."

"How am I supposed to get over this?"

"You could talk to someone about it."

"Who am I suppose to talk to? You're the only I can open up to."

"There is always Haymitch." Gale joked. This made Katniss smile.

"Come on, Katniss. Let's take one more walk through the woods." he said taking her hand. They started their journey. Katniss wondered where he was taking her. By now, Gale had mastered the layout of the arena. She made sure she didn't walk too fast. She wanted to spend as much time with him as possible.

"You know, it could be worse." he said.

"What could be worse than this?" she asked raising her eyebrows.

"I could be slaving away in the coal mines for the rest of my life." he said. Katniss shuddered. She hated the coalmines. Every year her school forced her to tour the mines, which she tried to get out of whenever she could. "My father hated working in the mines. I don't know he did it all those years. I remember watching him walk in the door everyday with so much coal dust on him you could barely see his skin. No matter how hard he scrubbed he never could seem to get it all off."

"Yeah my dad was like that too." Katniss said quietly.

"I used to get up every morning and walk with him to the mines." he said. He had never told her this before.

"At four in the morning?"

"It was the only time I got to spend time with him besides Sundays. You know how much time they had to spend down there."

"I can't believe your mother let you do that."

"She knew how much it meant to me. I learned some good life lesson on those walks with him."

"Such as?"

"Well, first off, that family is the most important thing we have."

"You've always been close with your family, though." Katniss said. She had never met a family that had as much love as the Hawthorne family.

"It was little more difficult when I was younger. You should have seen the way Rory and Vick would hang on me and follow me around."

"They just wanted to be like their older brother."

"Yeah you try being 12 with your 6 year old brother following you wherever you went."

"What's the matter, were you afraid that people wouldn't think you were cool." she teased.

"I was always cool." he said with a laugh.

"What else did you learn?" she asked.

"To set goals for myself. To never give up. He also told me to be nice to every girl I met because I'd never knew who I might end up liking when I was older." he said with a grin.

"Well you weren't very nice to me the first time we met." she said crossing her arms.

"Because I thought you were trying to steal from me." he defended himself.

"Sometimes I think about what my life would have been like if we hadn't run into each other that day." Katniss admitted.

"I'm glad we did." he told her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him as they continued walking.

"Me too."

"Katniss you'll take care of them…my family, when you get back?" he asked with a look of concern.

"Of course I will. I'm surprised you'd even ask that."

"Just needed to make sure. They wouldn't make it without me."

"Yeah." They ceased their conversation for the rest of the trip. Katniss could see the Cornucopia through the trees. This is where he was going to drop her off. Katniss could already feel the tears building up in her eyes. She didn't want to say goodbye to him.

"There are some things I need to tell you before I go." he said. "Katniss don't look at me like that."

"How am I looking?" she asked him. She couldn't even tell what her expression must have looked like at the moment.

"You are looking so pouty. It's making me feel very guilty." Gale said. She didn't want him to feel bad. He was already going through enough at the moment. She curled her lips upward in an attempt to smile. She wasn't sure if she had even made it to a grin.

"What did you want to tell me?" she asked.

"First off, when I leave here, don't try to follow me."

"What makes you think I would do that?"

"Oh come on, it has your name written all over it." he said with a smirk.

"Ok, I won't." she said. He shot her a look of disbelief. "I promise."

She saw him move closer and he lowered his mouth to ear. Whatever he was about to tell her, he didn't want anyone else to hear.

"Don't forget about Peeta Mellark and what I told you about him." he whispered.

"What makes you think I'd want to be with him?" she whispered back.

"I'm not telling you to marry the guy, Katniss." he said with a small laugh. "I am just saying that he would be good to talk to. He would really listen to you." Katniss rolled her eyes even though Gale couldn't see her face.

"Ok, fine." she sputtered back.

"There is also something else…something you have to tell him."

"What?" Katniss asked. Gale cupped his hand over her ear so no one could read his lips.

"You have to tell him that everything that happened in here between us wasn't real…that it was part of our strategy to get you out of here alive." he instructed her. Katniss pushed him away from her.

"No." she objected. "You'll be out of the picture anyway. Why would that even matter!"

"Because it's the kind thing to do."

"Since when do you care about that?"

"You know sometimes I think you don't know me at all." Gale said as he exhaled deeply.

Katniss thought about what Gale wanted her to do. It would be easy to tell Peeta this. She told him that nothing was going on between her and Gale. To be fair, Gale was just her friend at the time but Peeta couldn't have known that for sure. If there were rumors about Gale and her floating around school, he would have been sure to hear about it. He might have believed them too. Katniss walked up to Gale and signaled for him to lean over.

"I'll tell him but only if he brings it up first." she whispered.

"Ok." Gale said, accepting the compromise. "Before I go, there's something I have to give you." Katniss watched as he reached into his jacket pocket. He pulled out her Mockingjay pin.

"Where did you find that?" she asked shocked. She thought she had lost it.

"I removed it from your shirt after the fire. Every victor needs their district token." he said. Katniss could see his hands shake as he fastened it on her. It was the only give away to how he really felt at the moment. "Well, that's it. Goodbye, Katniss." Gale put one of his hands behind her neck and kissed her forehead. He took a step backwards and looked at her. Katniss wasn't ready for him to go, at least not without a kiss goodbye. She took hold of his jacket with both hands and brought him down to her level. He allowed the kiss to last a few seconds before he broke away and buried his face into the side of her neck. She felt him wrap his arms around her shoulder in a tight embrace. Katniss wrapped her arms around him and slowly rubbed his back. She felt so content in his arms. She could stay in this moment with him forever if she could. But she couldn't. She knew he had to go.

"Catnip, I have to go." he whispered.

"I know." she responded. She felt his arms slowly release her. He kissed her cheek and quickly whipped around and started walking away. He must not have wanted to see his face.

"Goodbye Gale." she called to him.

"Bye Katniss." he said without turning around.

Katniss watched him until she could no longer see him through the trees. All she could do now was wait for him to kill himself. She tried to keep herself distracted but there were limited things to do. First she braided her hair, but she completed that task in about a minute. Next, she walked over to the Cornucopia. The inside of the horn was void of any kind of weapons or tools. She walked around the outside of it, brushing her hand along the golden surface. She questioned if it was real gold. It probably was; the Capitol spared no expense when designing the arena. She wondered if she could climb it. She placed her hands on the side and shuffled her feet against the base to gain some height. She only got about 5 feet up before she slid down the side. Maybe it wasn't meant for climbing. There were groves in the exterior but they ran perpendicular to the ground. She walked to the smaller part of the Cornucopia where it wasn't as high and there was a less drastic curve. It took her a couple of tries but she eventually made it to the top.

She walked up the horn to the mouth of the Cornucopia and looked down at the ground below her. She could see the bloodstained patches scattered on the grass. Each patch represented the lost life of a tribute. She could feel her hatred for the Capitol rush through her veins. None of these children had to die. Her thoughts were interrupted with the sound of a cannon. _Gale_. She felt her whole body go stiff and she could barely breathe.

'_Don't cry, Katniss. He wouldn't you to cry. He'd want you to be strong._' she told herself. She bit on her tongue to keep her composure. It usually worked when she was on the verge of tears. She heard Claudius Templesmith's voice resonate though the arena.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, our 74th Hunger Games victor, from District 12, Katniss Everdeen!" he shouted. Katniss watched as fireworks exploded in the sky. This was it. Now she could go home and spend the rest of her life trying to forget that this had ever happened.

The hovercraft appeared and a ladder was dropped. Katniss grabbed on and was lifted into the aircraft. That was it. There were no cameras on her now. People inside the vessel offered her congratulations and shook her hand. The only thing Katniss could focus on was the long black bag that laid in the far corner. It was zipped up and had the letter M followed by the number 12 stenciled on it. It was Gale. He was in there.

Katniss felt her whole body start to tremble. She had to see him one last time. She had to make sure he was really dead. She stumbled towards the bag. Someone must have caught on to what was happening because she felt a Peacekeeper restrain her. She shouted his name as loud as she could. She broke away from his arms and collapsed onto the body bag. Just as her fingers reached for the zipper, she felt a needle shoot into her arm. Everything around her went black as she slipped into a drug-induced sleep.

* * *

**PLEASE DON'T HATE ME! I know, I know, I killed Gale Hawthorne. :( There is a reason that he had to die (it plays into the story line in the sequel). When you get to that part in the sequel, you're going to love it (I promise). Let me know what you think about this ending to The 74th Hunger Games!**


	28. The Victor

**Here it is, the last chapter! This is the longest chapter to date so there is lots to read!**

**Author's Note: I decided to combine the crowning ceremony and the interview into one big event instead of separating them like in the book.**

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or any of its characters.

* * *

Chapter 28

When Katniss regained consciousness, she found herself in a bright room where everything was white. She must have been in the hospital wing under the Training Center. The lights in the room where so bright that it was almost painful to keep her eyes opened. She looked down to her left arm to see a needle with a tube sticking out of it. She could also feel that there was a tube going up one of her nostrils. She was in so much pain that she wondered what they were doing to her. She had no serious injuries when she left the arena so this confused her. She watched as a female Avox came in the room. The Avox woman looked shocked to see that Katniss was awake. She scurried to her bedside, placing the metal tray on the bedside table. On the tray, Katniss saw a couple of syringes but they didn't look like typical ones with a sharp needle protruding from the end. They were plastic, filled with different colored liquids and had small hole at the end. She wondered what they were for. She reached inside a small refrigerator next to the table and pulled out a syringe…a real one. She stuck it into the end of the tube that stuck out of Katniss' arm. Katniss could feel the medicine rush through her veins as she failed to grip on to consciousness, once again.

When Katniss woke up for the second time, she wasn't sure how much time had passed. She guessed it was between a few hours to half a day. She wasn't in pain anymore and all the tubes and needles that were protruding from her body were now gone. The same Avox reappeared with a pile of clothing in her arms. She handed them to Katniss before exiting the room. Katniss slowly made her way of the bed. She removed the hospital gown and dressed herself. She was wearing the same outfit that she wore during training.

When she walked out of the room, she could hear chatter coming from the room at the end of the hall. That was probably where her team was waiting for her. She slowly made her way to the door. Before she turned the knob, she closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath. As soon as the door was wide open, she saw that all eyes were on her. Haymitch, Effie, Cinna, and her prep team were all there. Cinna and Haymitch stood up while her prep team cried into their handkerchiefs in the corner. She couldn't tell if Effie was indifferent or was hiding her emotions very well. Katniss body grew rigid when she realized there was someone who wasn't there that should be. He should have made it out of the arena with her. She should be celebrating with him that they beat the odds. He wasn't though. He was stuffed in a body bag in the morgue, wherever that was. The image of that was too much for Katniss to take and she felt her knees give out as she collapsed to the ground. Tears and sobs escaped from her. She felt someone lift her off the ground and hold her in an embrace. At first she thought it might have been Cinna, but on further inspection, she found it was Haymitch. She was shocked when she made this discovery. They only emotions Haymitch Abernathy had ever shown were anger and apathy. This was a whole different side of him.

"It's going to be ok, sweetheart." he muttered. He guided her to a sofa and sat her next to Cinna. He left momentarily and returned with a glass filled an inch high and handed it to her.

"No, I don't want this!" Katniss said throwing the glass at Haymitch. She wasn't going to let him turn her into an alcoholic like him. He managed to dodge the glass.

"Good, that was a test." Haymitch said with a smirk.

"A test, what do you mean, a test?!" she said quickly standing up and lunging towards him. He backed up a few paces. "My best friend is dead and you did nothing to stop it. You were our mentor. I thought you were actually going to try this year!" she shouted.

"You know nothing about what I did here when you were in the arena. Do you think it's just a coincidence that I don't reek of booze?" he shouted back. She thought about it for a second. He did seem more sober than she had ever seen him before. He wasn't entirely sober but he was closer to it.

"You still should have done something." Katniss said. He got close to her. She wasn't sure if he was doing that to be intimidating or because there were cameras around the room taping their whole conversation. He lowered his voice.

"I went to Seneca Crane himself and begging for him to make an exception, to convince him to bend the rules just this once. Turns out he doesn't listen to 'old, washed up victors' as he so politely put it." Haymitch said as he gritted his teeth.

Katniss felt guilt rush through her. She felt bad for saying that about him. Haymitch had done everything he promised. He fought to help them in the arena. He got them gifts from sponsors that she thought were unimaginable. No one from District 12 had ever received the kinds of things they did.

"I'm sorry." she mumbled. She felt Cinna's hand rest on her shoulder.

"It's time to get ready, Katniss."

"Ready for what?" she asked confused. The victors usually had a couple of days before the "festivities" in the Capitol began.

"For the crowning ceremony tonight." he responded

"How long was I out?" Katniss asked in disbelief.

"Almost 4 days." Cinna said. He led her out of the room and took her to the twelfth floor of the Training Center where her prep team was waiting for her. They had managed to regain their composure and even appeared happy in the moment. They led her to the shower, where they preset the controls for her. Katniss stood in the shower as it cleaned her hair and scrubbed her body. The water falling down on her intermixed with the tears falling down her face. The last thing she wanted to do was to be in public on a stage in front of a crowd of Capitol citizens. She wanted to be back in District 12, where she could lock herself away from the rest of the world.

When the shower clicked off, she grabbed a towel and went into the prep room. Flavius, Octavia, and Venia were at different stations, readying the tools they would need to use. Katniss walked towards the full-length mirror. She hadn't seen her reflection since she had returned from the Games. Her prep team probably had a lot of work ahead of them. She thought about all the scars and bruises they would have to cover up. Her mouth dropped when she saw her reflection. She let her towel fall and turned her body, searching for battle wounds that were no longer there. The slash on her leg was nowhere to be found. Her back, which had been ravaged by fire, looked soft and smooth. There were no traces that she had even been in The Hunger Games. She also noticed the shape of her body. She didn't look as skinny as she thought she was when she left the arena. She still looked slightly underweight but at least she no longer looked like a skeleton. She wondered how they did it. She hadn't eaten for days. She could see Flavius approaching her in the mirror.

"Oh my gosh, they gave you a full body polish…lucky girl." he said enviously. "Looks like they fattened you up too." Katniss was unaware if that was an insult or just an observation. She had seen how deathly skinny some of the Capitol citizens were. In the Capitol, you could never be too thin. He slipped a robe on her and brought her to the chair at his station. While he worked on her hair, Venia and Octavia joined them as they talked about their opinions of the Games this year, what they liked, what they didn't like, and what changes they would have made. Katniss couldn't believe they were talking about this in front of her. They could have shown a little sympathy around her.

"It is a shame that they refused to crown two victors this year. You know a lot of people were upset about that." Venia said.

"You don't have to tell me. Did you see how many names were on that petition?" Octavia asked. All of a sudden, Katniss was interested in their conversation.

"Petition? What petition?" Katniss asked hurried.

"Oh that's right, you must not have seen it." Octavia responded.

'_No shit_.' Katniss thought while rolling her eyes.

"Someone in the Capitol, no one is sure who, started a petition to make a rule change to try to get you both out. It amassed quite a load of signatures. So many were taken back by your situation." she said. Katniss wondered who had started it. Was it Haymitch?

"Did the Capitol find out about it?" Katniss asked them.

"Of course they did!" Venia said. "They published all the names in the newspaper and arrested everyone who had signed it. Although they did run into some trouble once the jails filled up."

"I know what you mean. I had to sleep on the floor of a gymnasium for a whole week. It was dreadful!" Octavia said.

"You signed it!" Katniss said in shock.

"We all did. I know you have a low opinion of people who live in the Capitol, Katniss, but not everyone who lives here is a monster." she said. Maybe Katniss had underestimated her prep team. Maybe they weren't as self-involved as she thought.

"Has this ever happened before here?" Katniss asked them.

"People have spoken their minds to friends about things like this, but no one has actually ever put it in writing before." Flavius said as he curled her hair into loose ringlets. Katniss realized this might cause trouble. If people in the Capitol were behaving this way, she could only imagine what might be happening in the Districts, where loyalty to the Capitol is feigned. She wondered what type of damage control President Snow was concocting for this situation.

When Flavius had finished, Venia shaped her eyebrows into perfect arches and Octavia painted her nails with clear polish. It seemed a bit simple for such a grand occasion. Cinna entered the room with a garment bag, which he hung up on a metal clothing rack. He dismissed the rest of the prep team. He applied her makeup, making it look very soft and natural.

Cinna unzipped the garment bag to reveal a dress that was a soft yellow color. It was a drastic change from the previous outfits he had designed for her.

"No fire?" she asked.

"No, not that kind of fire." he said. He unzipped the back of the dress it and helped her put it on. He retrieved his sewing kit to make a few, last minute alterations. She noticed that parts of the chest and hip areas were padded. She gave him a quizzical look.

"It wasn't my idea. It was the only way the Gamemakers wouldn't alter your body."

"Oh." she said. In the past, she had noticed the drastic changes some tributes went through by the time they showed up to her district during the Victory Tour. They always seemed more attractive than they appeared in the Games. She never thought that they looked that way due to surgery. When Cinna was finished, he stepped away so she could see herself. The dress reached to her knee and the fabric was so light, it moved with even the slightest movement. The iridescence made the colors shift as she moved. It was a warm glow, like that of candlelight.

"You like it?" he asked, waiting for a response.

"Yes, it's perfect." she said, forcing a smile to show her gratitude. While she was putting on the matching ballet flats, she heard a knock on the door. It was Haymitch.

"We need to have a talk on the roof." he said. Whatever he wanted to tell her, it must have been for her ears only. It was they only place where the cameras couldn't pick up the sound of conversation because of the wind. Before she went up, Cinna tied a silk scarf around her head so the wind wouldn't mess up her curls. When they reached the safety of the roof, Haymitch started talking.

"You are in trouble." he said.

"How? What did I do wrong?" she asked. She was confused. She did everything she was supposed to do. She played by the Capitol's rules. She went in the Games, put on a good show, and managed to be the last one remaining. She didn't tamper with anything they put in the arena; she just fought to survive.

"The Capitol knows what your real motive was when you tried jumping off that cliff."

"Could they hear our plan?" Katniss asked with worry.

"No, but they put two and two together."

"We did it because we didn't want to survive without each other." she said. Haymitch started laughing.

"I'm not the one you have to convince about that."

"But it's true." she said.

"But it's not the only reason why you did it."

"No." she told him. There was no sense in lying to him. He was right. She would have to convince everyone in the Capitol that she did it for love.

"The petition situation doesn't help." Katniss added.

"You know about that?" he asked her.

"Yes the prep team filled me in. That was all you, wasn't it?" she asked.

"Yeah, it backfired though." he said looking annoyed.

"How did you get all those people to sign it? Capitol citizens don't go against the Capitol."

"I told you that they like a good, old fashioned love story." he said with a wink. "I only intended to use the signatures to convince Seneca Crane that it was what the audience wanted. I didn't plan on list getting leaked to the press. That is when the trouble began."

"So what happens now?"

"Tonight you need to convince them that you weren't trying to create an uprising."

"How do I do that?"

"You convince them that you were in love with that boy."

"I was in love with him." she said.

"Huuh." he chuckled. She wondered if Haymitch was questioning her love for him. Did he think she used it as a strategy just as he intended her to do? She couldn't get into that right now. She would be too emotional. They left the roof, and took the elevator down to the Training level. From there, they would be raised up on pillars to the stage above them. Effie led her to her mark.

"Don't forget to smile!" she said before walking to her mark.

Katniss could hear the audience cheer as Caesar Flickerman greeted them. As he introduced the members of the team, their metal plate rose until it was level with the stage. For a few moments, Katniss was alone. She could hear the crowd chant her name over and over. She felt overwhelmed. She wanted to jump off her plate and run away. It was too late for that now. Her head had already risen above stage level. The lights were blinding. She was frozen once again. Caesar Flickerman had to take her hand and escort her to the victor's chair.

The lights dimmed and the attention was turned to the screen. The next three hours consisted of highlights from the Games, from the Reapings to the announcement of the winner. Katniss knew she had to hide her anger when she watched the clips. She didn't want her reaction to be used against her by the Capitol. While the highlights played, her eyes went between the screen and the members of the audience. The way they reacted, you would have thought that they actually knew the tributes. Katniss guessed that after all those weeks of watching, attachments grew. The reactions were the loudest whenever her and Gale were onscreen. It was weird watching the two of them interact together from a different perspective. It was easy to see how well they got along.

During their first kiss, Katniss thought it looked pretty good. It was not as awkward as she thought it would look. There were even a few loud whistles coming from the audience. As she watched the moments between them play out on the screen, the sadder she became. She missed him so much. During their final goodbye, she looked down to her lap. She didn't want to watch anymore. Then she heard him say her name, as if he was trying to get her attention. She looked up at the screen. Gale had position himself in front of a camera somewhere in the forest.

"Hey Katniss." he said quietly. "I don't know if you'll ever see this but I hope you do. I know you hate long speeches about feelings but I have to get this off my chest. First, I want to say I love you." he started. A wave of awws filled the air. "I forget to tell you that back there. It's funny how people can find love somewhere totally unexpected. I certainly didn't expect you to fall in love me here, of all places, but I'm glad you did. I'm not sure what is next for me, but I know I'll miss you."

Katniss could feel her eyes water up. She tried to hold back the tears but they flooded her eyes, causing trails of water to flow down her face. Gale's eyes started to water too. She could hear sniffs coming from the audience. They were just as hooked as she was.

"I never told you this, but I had this elaborate plan all worked out in my head. It's silly really because you know I'm not one to plan things out in advanced. I always had the idea that one day I could make you see me as more than a friend. I knew that if I could do that, then we would be together forever. And all those times we talked about our futures, the only future I saw was with you. Every time I talked about getting married or about my wife, it was always you I was picturing. I know I screwed it all up by volunteering but I knew I had to save you and I hope you can forgive me for that."

By now the audience was a wreck. Katniss wondered how many of the people in attendance had signed that petition to change the rule.

"I want you to do something for me. I want you to live your life. I want you to make your life count. Don't let this destroy you. You are just like a mockingjay, you are strong enough to survive this, even when people expect to you die out. I know you can do this." he said with determination.

It would be hard to do, but he was right. She wouldn't waste away the life he ensured she got to keep. Katniss watched the screen break up for a second and a once calm Gale looked furious. It had been edited. Whatever Gale had said, the Capitol must not have wanted anyone to hear it. Katniss averted her eyes away from the screen. She already knew what was about to happen. He was about to die. She wasn't ready to watch it yet. She covered her ears as well to avoid any painful cries he might let out. She stayed like that until she could hear the audience cheering. She looked up at the screen. She was standing on top of the Cornucopia as she was announced as the winner. Between the camera work and the way she stood with her chin held high and fireworks flashing behind her, the moment almost looked scripted. The Capitol citizens must have loved this.

There was a 15 minute intermission before the interview started. Katniss went to the side of the stage to drink some water. Haymitch was standing beside her.

"Any words of wisdom?" she asked him.

"Don't screw up." he joked. Looks like Haymitch was back to his old self.

"I can't do this." Katniss said in a panic. She felt Haymitch grab her forearm.

"You'll do fine. They already love you anyway. Just answer the questions however you want, just don't act angry or blame the Capitol."

"I'm not stupid." she responded. She saw Caesar motioning for her to come back to the chair and she complied. She saw a red light on the camera turn on and Caesar start to talk.

"Good evening. If you are just joining us, I am here with Katniss Everdeen of District 12, the winner of the 74th Annual Hunger Games." he said. Katniss found that opening bizarre. Everyone already had their televisions on. This broadcast was mandatory viewing for the country of Panem.

"Katniss, it's truly good to see you." Caesar said taking one of her hands and giving it a squeeze. She wasn't sure if he meant it or if he would have said it to anyone sitting in the victor's chair. He did look sincere though.

"It's good to be back." she replied. The audience laughed at her response. She didn't intend for it to be funny. In fact, she didn't even really mean what she had just said.

"According to our records, this Hunger Games was the longest non-Quell game to date. How did it feel being in the arena for three weeks?"

"I tried to keep as calm as I could and to just tried to think of the end result."

"That you would be reunited with your sister, Prim?"

"Yes." she said. In actuality, Katniss had forgotten about Prim. She was too busy thinking of Gale's fate to think about what she had initially hoped for.

"Well I'm sure she is very proud of her big sister." Caesar said with a smile. His expression became more serious. "I wanted to talk to you about when Clove, the girl from District 2, lit you on fire. What was going through your head at that moment?"

Katniss knew there were two answers she could give. The first one was the truth and the second one was the one she should give. She could see Haymitch in the front row shaking his head. He knew what she was thinking. Now was not a time to be bold.

"All I could think of was the pain. I never thought anything could hurt that much. It's the most intense heat I have ever felt in my life."

"It was a good thing Gale Hawthorne was there to save you." Caesar said.

"Yes it was. He always manages to save me." she said. She realized she used the present tense. He wasn't there anymore. He would never save her again.

"I must say, it was so touching to watch your relationship grow. I can only imagine what you must have been experiencing."

"I was just as shocked as you probably were Caesar. I never expected to fall in love with my best friend. When I saw him dying before my eyes in that cavern, it confirmed that that my feelings for him were more than just platonic. I knew I'd be lost without him."

"Confirmed? Was there a time before that where you thought you liked him as more than a friend?"

"There was. It happened a few nights before when we had to share the sleeping bag. I had never been that close to him before. When he wrapped his arm around my waist and kissed my forehead, I felt something I had never felt before. It's like my heart skipped a beat." she said. This wasn't true but she had to give a good story. "I guess I have the Gamemakers to thank for all those cold nights." The audience laughed. She probably shouldn't have said that. She looked and saw Haymitch laughing too so it must have not been that bad.

"It must have been hard knowing he couldn't make it out of the arena with you." Caesar said after his smile had faded.

"Yes it was. I hoped that something might change, that there might have been a way for both of us to get out of there but as it got closer to the end, I knew we wouldn't be that lucky."

"Is that why you decided to jump off the cliff?" Caesar asked.

"Yes. We had constantly struggled over who should be the victor and go home. Neither of us wanted to leave the arena without the other so we decided that neither of us would. I never thought our plan would backfire though. I didn't expect to survive that fall." she said looking down.

"Yes I don't think anyone saw that coming." Caesar agreed with her. From there, Caesar segued into the deaths of the other tributes, Foxface and Cato to be more specific. He concluded the interview by talking about her being a mentor in the Quarter Quell and how she felt about it and if she had any predictions for what instructions would be written on the card inside the yellow envelope.

"I guess we will have to wait and see." she said answering the last question. Caesar turned it over to President Snow for the crowning ceremony. Katniss felt like she could barely breath as she saw Snow approach her. A little boy walked next to him with a crown on a pillow. He stopped at the podium to give a speech before he stood in front of her. She could smell a combination of blood and roses emanating from him. She had to breathe through her mouth to keep from throwing up.

"Congratulations, Miss Everdeen." he said as he lowered the crown on her head. He leaned closer towards her. "I've got my eye on you. If you pull any stunts like your friend did, I can't guarantee the safety of you _or_ your family." he said in a low voice.

'_Was that a threat? Did the President of Panem just threaten me? What did Gale say before he killed himself?_' she thought. Whatever it was, she knew it was something bad. Maybe enough to cause an uprising, even. Katniss watched as everyone stood as the Anthem started to play. When it was completed, the ceremonies were over and the Capitol citizens quickly filtered out of the square. Katniss started walking back towards the Training Center.

"Where do you think you are going?" Effie said tapping her foot.

"To bed." Katniss said.

"No you can't! Your presence is required at the Victory Banquet at the President's mansion!" Since it was required, there was no sense in arguing with Effie.

"Can I just have a moment?" Katniss asked Effie.

"You have 3 minutes." she said. Katniss walked into the Training Center and sat down on one of the plush couches in the lobby. Shortly after, Cinna sat next to her.

"Here take this." he said holding out a pill and a glass of water.

"What does it do?" she asked him.

"It will help you." he answered. Katniss didn't like the idea of taking a medicine she wasn't familiar with. The fact that Cinna was hiding what it actually did made her even more suspicious. "I'm not trying to drug you. Have I ever led you wrong?"

"No." she said. She took the pill and washed it down with the glass of water. A few minutes later, Effie came to collect them. It was a short drive to the Presdent's mansion. Effie insisted that they drive even though it was right down the road to ensure they wouldn't be late. Katniss was formally introduced to the crowd gathered in the ballroom. Tables with linens and place settings were set up around a large dance floor that was in the middle of the room. Each corner of the room had a fully stocked bar. Katniss could already see Haymitch at the one closest to the entrance. During dinner, Katniss and her team sat at a long table at the front of the room with President Snow and the Gamemakers. Katniss managed to sit as far as from the President as she could but someone made her trade places so that she was sitting right next to him. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Being in such close proximity to him would make her would make her worry about what lies ahead. Suddenly, her panic was gone. She even felt a little happy. She sat quietly as she ate her food. She lost count on how many courses were served. It was somewhere between 8 and 12. When dinner concluded, people were free to move about and converse with one another. Haymitch took her to the side.

"Now remember, sponsors are here tonight. Sponsors that saved your life. Sponsors that can help our tributes in the Quarter Quell."

"What do you want me to do?" she asked.

"Be charming…or at least be grateful. If they want to talk, you talk. If they want a picture, you take picture. If they want to dance, you dance with them."

"Ok, I get it." she said. Haymitch left her to return to the bar.

Throughout the night Katniss was approach by individuals and groups of people asking for things such as pictures and autographs to wanting her to dance or take a shot with them. She didn't actually take the shots; she just brought the small glass to her lips and then threw the liquid behind her when no one was looking. For some reason, Katniss found it very easy to converse with the people in the room. She felt like she didn't have a care in the world. Judging from the conversations she was having with the sponsors and other VIPs at the party, they were very impressed with her. A few of them gave her business cards. Maybe it was so she could contact them for the next games. She put them in her clutch to ensure she wouldn't lose them.

Around 4 a.m., Katniss was starting to get tired. Maybe the medicine was starting to wear off. Most of the people attending the party were too drunk to function or were dancing wildly on the dance floor. Katniss took this moment to depart from the party. She told Haymitch she was leaving and he waved her off. When Katniss reached the entrance of the mansion, she could see that it was pouring outside. She didn't care. It was only a little water. As she walked back to the Training Center, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was forgetting something…something important. She couldn't remember it though, as hard as she tried.

By the time she got back to the Training Center, Katniss was soaked. Her dress was probably see-through by now but she didn't care. No one was around her anyway. Once she dried off, she changed into a nightgown, and climbed under the covers.

When Katniss woke, it was morning. She was surprised she had made it through the night without a nightmare. She climbed out of bed and changed into the dress and shoes that were laid out for her. Today she would be going home to District 12. She knew she should have been happy, but there was a sadness that lay in her heart. She would be going there alone. Well, not exactly alone, Haymitch and Effie would be with her. But the person that mattered the most wouldn't be on that train.

Katniss made her way down to the dining room. She saw Cinna sitting at the head of the table, reading the newspaper and drinking a cup of coffee. She sat down next to him. She wasn't exactly happy with him for giving her that pill.

"You want to know what that pill did to you, right?" he asked, not even looking up from his paper.

"Yes." she said. She watched him fold the newspaper and lay it on the table. She was on the cover of it.

"It's called a Forget-Me-Now. It helps take your mind off of anything or anyone that is causing you sorrow."

"That's why I couldn't remember him." she said. Cinna nodded. "So how does it work?"

"It tricks your brain. Any time a painful memory is triggered, it is quickly suppressed before it can travel to the thought centers of your brain."

"And why do you have it? Are you trying to forget someone?" she asked.

"No it wasn't mine. Haymitch got it from the hospital."

"So this was Haymitch's idea?" she asked a little more annoyed than before.

"Yes."

"And he convinced you to give me the pill."

"He knew you wouldn't take it if he gave it to you."

"And you thought that was a good idea!" Katniss exclaimed.

"Yes. Listen, Katniss. I know you don't always like him but he knows what he is doing. He has been doing this for the past 24 years." Cinna said. Katniss thought about this and realized that Cinna was right. Haymitch was only trying to help. And it did help. Who knew what she would have been like if she hadn't taken the pill. Maybe she would have left a totally different impression on the higher-ups in the Capitol.

"You're right." she conceded. "Cinna you're coming back next year for District 12, right?"

"Of course I am. What would make you think that?"

"Winning designers don't usually stay with the less popular districts." she admitted.

"I chose 12, remember?" he said. She nodded her head. "And I'm not sure that District 12 is so unpopular now. Thanks to you." he said giving her wink.

"You deserve some of the credit too. You made me the Girl on Fire." she said with a smile. She realized how much she was going to miss Cinna when she was at home. Even though they hadn't known each other that long, they just seemed to understand each other. "I wish you were coming with me."

"I can't. I have to return to my studio to work on the outfits for your Victory Tour. I have 13 dresses to make in 5 months!"

"Do they all have to be dresses?" Katniss scrunching up her face.

"We'll see." he said not making any promises. Even his consideration of her request was enough for her. Katniss could hear Effie's heels clicking of the marble floors, indicting that she was almost near them.

"Katniss, dear, there you are. We have to go now or else we'll miss the train!" she said.

"What about breakfast?" she asked.

"We'll eat it on the train." she said. Katniss wasn't sure but she could have sworn that Effie Trinket was hung over. Her eyeballs weren't as white and her wig was a little off center. She also noticed that her eyeliner wasn't perfectly drawn on as usual and her clothes were slightly wrinkled. She must have really enjoyed herself last night.

Cinna stood up and gave Katniss a big hug. They said their goodbyes and Effie led Katniss to a car waiting outside of the Training Center.

The station was packed with people looking to get their last glimpse of Katniss before she left the Capitol. Katniss had to push her way through the crowd, which she didn't really mind due to her disdain for the people of the Capitol. As soon as she was on the train, she searched for a place where she could be alone. She didn't want to sleep so she avoided the sleeping cabins. She walked inside the dining train and took a seat by the window after the train had started moving. She watched as the city was replaced by the darkness of the tunnel, which then turned into the countryside. They were moving so fast everything was a blur. She thought about what lay ahead of her. She dreaded returning to the train station in District 12. What would they think of her? Would they be happy she got out alive or think about how she couldn't save Gale? Tears cascaded like waterfalls just thinking about his name. She didn't even know if she could say it out loud. She hadn't since she last saw him. She decided to try. It could be the first step to recovery.

"G—G—G." she said before pressing her eyes in her crossed arms that rested on the windowsill. The tears continued to flow, followed by aching bellows and hyperventilation. If she couldn't even say his name, how was she supposed to be ok? She would never be ok, and she would never be able to forgive herself for what she let happen. It was then that she realized that she might have gotten out of the arena, but the Games had claimed another victim.

* * *

**Wow, I can't believe I finished my first FanFiction story! What did you think of the last chapter? **

**Also, don't forget to sign up for Author Alert if you are interested in reading the sequel. I plan on uploading Chapter 1 of that on Monday or Tuesday. I will post the title here as well when I am 100% sure what I'm going to call it.**

**Thanks again to everyone who has written a review for this story (I really didn't expect to get so much feedback, but I love it!) **


	29. Rising Up

Hi!

The first chapter in the sequel, **Rising Up**, is now posted!

Also, I plan to post a new chapter 3 or 4 times a week so get ready for that! I know a lot of you want to know what happened to Gale in the Arena. You will find out what happened to him around Chapter 10 (if everything goes according to plan).

Thanks again for reading my stories!


	30. Gale chapter in the sequel is up!

Hello everyone!

Just wanted to let you know that the chapter about Gale in the sequel is up...it's titled Gale (so you don't miss it). I know some of you were upset about Gale's death and couldn't read the sequel. Give this chapter a try (read the whole thing before making any judgements about what I did).

The story is called Rising Up, btw. Enjoy!


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